April 14, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

UCLA made it 35 straight wins overall and completed the fourth perfect MPSF season since the inception of NCAA Women's Water Polo in 2001. The Bruins defeated San Diego State 17-5 and Arizona State 14-4 to lock up the No. 1 seed at the MPSF Tournament in San Diego Apr. 24-27. Junior Katie Rulon poured in five first-half goals against the Aztecs, while senior Gabrielle Domanic added three. Junior Brittany Fullen collected eight of her 13 saves in the second half. On Senior Day Sunday, seniors Brittany Rowe and Jillian Kraus combined for seven of the 14 team goals to snap ASU's eight-game win streak.

STANFORD won two MPSF home games, 6-5 over California and 10-4 over UC Irvine, and has therefore clinched the No. 2 seed in the MPSF Tournament. The win over the Bears featured a combined 20 saves and 20 ejections. Freshman Amber Oland picked up 13 saves in the cage. Junior Kira Hillman registered a hat trick and scored another goal against Irvine. The Cardinal rides a 10-game win streak into San Jose Saturday (Apr. 19).

USC topped Hawaii 13-8 Friday to end the home schedule, and has clinched the MPSF Tournament No. 3 seed. Junior Michelle Stein collected four goals and freshman Sarah Van Norman delivered her first career hat trick. USC got off to a 3-0 first quarter lead and never looked back. The Trojans head to Long Beach State Sunday (Apr. 20) before the MPSF Tournament the following week.

SAN DIEGO STATE secured the No. 4 seed in the MPSF Tournament with a 10-7 win over Hawaii last Tuesday. The Aztecs also had a road win at CS Northridge (15-8) and a loss at No. 1 UCLA (17-5). The Aztecs combined for an 11-3 run over the second and third quarters for the win at CSUN. Junior Anna Gonzales scored five goals in that game and junior Jenna Schuster added three. Schuster also punched in four goals in the home win over Hawaii. SDSU visits ASU to close out the regular season.

LONG BEACH STATE senior Dayna Wawrzynski totaled 16 goals to lead the 49ers to four wins this past week, none bigger than the largest upset in the MPSF this year, a 10-9 win over No. 4 Hawaii. She scored the last of her four goals as the game-winner in the fourth over the Rainbow Wahine, as the 49ers were down one after three quarters. Freshman Kristen Stragier had 12 saves in that game. LBSU also picked up wins over Sonoma State (11-5), Claremont (15-6), and Pomona-Pitzer (13-7), and has two more MPSF games remaining, at home Thursday (Apr. 17) against UC Irvine and Sunday (Apr. 20) against USC.

HAWAII will be the No. 5 seed at the MPSF Tournament following three conference losses this past week. The Rainbow Wahine fell 10-7 at San Diego State, 10-9 at Long Beach State, and 13-8 at USC. Non-conference games were won over UC San Diego (7-5), Claremont (23-4), Sonoma State (14-6), and Pomona-Pitzer (16-4). Junior Lisa Van Raalte combined for nine goals in the last five of Hawaii's seven-game road trip. Hawaii is off until the MPSF Tournament begins Apr. 24.

ARIZONA STATE sophomore Kelly Phelps scored three fourth quarter goals in a 14-4 loss at No. 1 UCLA Sunday. The Sun Devils managed one MPSF win over the weekend, 12-5 at home over CS Northridge. Senior goalkeeper Caylinn Wallace had 17 saves, just one shy of the conference single-game high this year. Senior Katy Lawlor tied her career-high of four goals in the win. Arizona State hosts San Diego State Saturday (Apr. 19) to end the regular season. A win solidifies a six-seed for the tournament.

UC IRVINE split a pair of MPSF road games with a 6-5 sudden-victory win at San Jose State and a 10-4 loss at Stanford. Junior Gianna Rossi knocked in the game-winner at the 1:09 mark of the fourth overtime period in San Jose. The Anteaters end the conference slate at Long Beach State Thursday (Apr. 17), where a victory would wrap up at least a No. 8 seed.

CALIFORNIA senior Heather Stuart totaled 15 saves on her final weekend of a regular season play as the Bears fell 6-5 at No. 2 Stanford before trouncing CS Bakersfield in the home finale 16-6. Senior Molly Hayes scored three goals in her final home game. Cal is next in action at the MPSF Tournament in San Diego, Apr. 24-27, where it will be seeded sixth or seventh.

UC SANTA BARBARA scored 16 goals in snapping a 16-game losing streak Sunday over Pacific. The Gauchos received a huge effort from sophomore Christie Clark who poured in five goals in the 16-6 win. UCSB heads to Northridge Saturday (Apr. 19) to take on the Matadors for the No. 11 seed, followed by neutral site action with CS San Bernardino.

SAN JOSE STATE was edged 6-5 in sudden-victory overtime, before a 10-7 win vs. Santa Clara. The Spartans scored five third period goals proving to be the difference. Sophomore Bridget McKee led with four goals and tallied seven of the 15 team goals for the weekend. Senior Kendra Adama recorded 10 saves in three quarters. San Jose State hosts No. 2 Stanford Saturday (Apr. 19) to finish the regular season. Pending the MPSF outcomes this week, SJSU will be seeded anywhere from 8-10.

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE dropped two MPSF games over the weekend, 12-5 at Arizona State and 15-8 at home to San Diego State. The Matadors return home Saturday (Apr. 19) to face UCSB and CS San Bernardino as the regular season ends.

PACIFIC was defeated by Cal Baptist 8-6 and UC Santa Barbara 16-6 on the road over the weekend. Senior MPSF scoring leader Kellie Fletcher totaled five goals. The Tigers conclude the regular season at UC Davis Saturday (Apr. 18).

RULON AND WAWRZYNSKI MPSF MIKASA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Woodland, Calif. - UCLA junior Katie Rulon (San Diego, CA/University HS) combined for six goals in two MPSF wins over No. 5 San Diego State and No. 7 Arizona State. She struck five times in the first half against the Aztecs, her best single-game effort of the year. Rulon also tacked on another goal over ASU to help lift the Bruins to a 12-0 conference season.....Long Beach State senior Dayna Wawrzynski (Garden Grove, CA/Los Alamitos HS) led her team to biggest MPSF upset of the year in a 10-9 win over No. 4 Hawaii. She scored four goals in that game, including the game-winner in the fourth period. Wawrzynski also totaled 12 goals in three wins in against Claremont, Sonoma State, and Pomona-Pitzer, giving her a total of 16 in a four-game week.