By Jessica Jimenez– Staff Writer
San Jose State women’s water polo team (10-12, 2-3 MPSF) hosted Indiana University for its final Mountain Pacific Sports Federation home game and defeated the Hoosiers (5-14, 0-5 MPSF), 8-6.
It was senior day for the Spartans and Michelle Taikeff was honored by head coach Gabor Sarusi and assistant coach Beth Harberts before the start of the first quarter.
She was very moved by the thoughtful gestures.
“Just to have all of the love and support on the pool deck from my family and friends and my teammates that I’ve been with was such an incredible experience,” Taikeff said. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Playing strong in the first quarter, sophomore 2-meter defender Tyanna Supreme eggbeatered high and scored on a power-play three minutes in.
Seconds later and also on a power play, sophomore 2-meter defender Isabella Schmidt scored a goal on a forehand shot for the Spartans.
By halftime, Indiana junior attacker Megan Abarta helped her team with putting four goals into the net passing SJSU with a two-goal lead.
The Spartans returned in the third quarter with Supreme scoring within 40 seconds of play.
Junior driver Sierra Painter forcefully defended the team and hit the net hard with assistance from freshman utility player Olga Descalzi Portell.
Minutes later, Descalzi Portell tossed in a shot from the two-meter line.
Taikeff was able to make her last and final home game goal of her SJSU athletic career by the end of the third on a power play.
Knowing each other since high school, Painter and Taikeff have built a bond in and out of the water that will last forever.
“We just really balance and vibe well off of each other,” said Painter. “I always know that Michelle knows where I am and sees me in the pool because she completely understands me as a player. Getting to grow and push you and to pick you up when you’re down is the best thing possible.”
SJSU held off Indiana until the end with a two-goal lead.
Sarusi thought the team did well and handled themselves with adversity.
“It wasn’t a clean and percent first half,” he said. “We came back in the second half and turned the game over and we showed a lot of energy. Michelle had a lot to do with that. We wanted to play for her and not just for our crowd or for team but definitely just to play for Michelle.”
The team will play Stanford University on Saturday at the Avery Aquatic Center for its last game before the MPSF Championships.
Follow Jessica on Twitter @jessicajim06
