Women's Water Polo Weekly Release
April 21, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
UCLA (27-0 overall/12-0 MPSF) is the No. 1 seed in this week's MPSF Tournament at San Diego State, and following a first-round bye, will compete Friday (Apr. 25) at 11:20am against Thursday's UC Irvine-San Jose State winner. UCLA takes a 35-game win streak into this year's postseason, in defense of its three straight national championships. The Bruins recently completed the fourth perfect MPSF season (12-0) since the inception of NCAA Women's Water Polo in 2001. Junior Katie Rulon has scored a Bruin-high 54 goals in '08 (2.00/gm).
STANFORD (23-3 overall/11-1 MPSF) is seeded second and receives a first-round bye. The Cardinal face the California-Long Beach State winner on Friday (Apr. 25) at 12:40 pm. Stanford held off San Jose State 9-8 last Saturday in the regular season finale. Senior Lauren Silver leads the team with 58 goals (2.23/gm), No. 4 in the MPSF.
USC (17-6 overall/10-2 MPSF) is the No. 3 seed and also has a first-round bye. The Trojans will begin its postseason Friday (Apr. 25) at 2:30 pm against the winner of Arizona State and CS Northridge. USC ended the regular season with a 10-6 win at Long Beach State. Junior Michelle Stein leads with 49 goals on the year (2.13/gm).
SAN DIEGO STATE (26-5 overall/8-4 MPSF) is this year's MPSF Tournament host and No. 4 seed. The Aztecs will open up the four-day event with a Thursday (Apr. 24) 10 am game against No. 13 seed Pacific. SDSU won the conference meeting at home 14-6 on Mar. 14. The winner of this game meets the Hawaii-UCSB winner on day two. Juniors Jenna Schuster and Anna Gonzales lead the team with 68 and 65 goals respectively, both ranking in the MPSF top-five.
HAWAII (18-8 overall/7-5 MPSF) will be the No. 5 seed and opens with No. 12 UC Santa Barbara Thursday (Apr. 24) at 11:20 am. The Rainbow Wahine won the regular season meeting in Honolulu, 11-5, on Mar. 15. The winner meets the San Diego State-Pacific winner on day two. Hawaii is led by juniors Kelly Mason and Angela Turnbull, both with 49 goals (1.88/gm).
ARIZONA STATE (20-10 overall/7-5 MPSF) solidified a six-seed with a 10-7 upset over No. 4 San Diego State Saturday in Tempe. The Sun Devils have now beat three top-four teams this year. Junior Addison McGrath scored three goals, and is now atop the MPSF scoring chart with 73 on the year (2.52/gm). Senior Caylinn Wallace is one of the nation's most active goalkeepers, saving 310 shots (10.33/gm). ASU meets No. 11 seed CS Northridge in the opening round Thursday (Apr. 24) at 12:40 pm, with the Sun Devils winning both meetings this year, 12-5 (conf.) and 12-4 (non-conf). USC gets the winner.
CALIFORNIA (16-9 overall/6-6 MPSF) is the No. 7 seed this week and is paired up with No. 10 seed Long Beach State Thursday (Apr. 24) at 2:30 pm, with No. 2 Stanford awaiting the winner. The Bears, who won the March 2 meeting over the 49ers 13-3 in Berkeley, are led by sophomore Grace Reynolds' 43 goals this year (1.72/gm). Senior Heather Stuart collects 9.46 saves per game, second-most in the conference.
UC IRVINE (15-10 overall/6-6 MPSF) is the No. 8 seed and takes on No. 9 San Jose State Thursday (Apr. 24) at 3:50 p.m. The two teams split their meetings this year, with SJSU winning non-league in Irvine (12-3) and UCI winning in MPSF play in San Jose (6-5 sudden-victory). The Anteaters are led by senior Jessica Lewis' 35 goals (1.40/gm).
SAN JOSE STATE (14-13 overall/4-8 MPSF) is the No. 9 seed and takes on No. 8 seed UC Irvine Thursday (Apr. 24) at 3:50 pm, with the winner facing No. 1 UCLA the next morning. The Spartans split a Saturday home doubleheader, edged 9-8 by No. 2 Stanford and beating Sonoma State 15-10 which concluded the regular season. Junior Juliet Moss combined for seven goals in the two games and leads the Spartans with 52 on the season.
LONG BEACH STATE (15-15 overall/4-8 MPSF) is seeded 10th and will first take on No. 7 seed California Thursday (Apr. 24) at 2:30 pm, with the winner to play Stanford. Senior Dayna Wawrzynski leads the 49ers with 63 goals, fifth most in the MPSF.
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE (12-17 overall/2-10 MPSF) grabbed two home wins to end the regular season, and as a result of a 12-5 final over UCSB, will be the No. 11 seed this week. No. 6 Arizona State is the opener, 12:40 pm Thursday (Apr. 24) with the winner playing No. 3 USC Friday afternoon. The Matadors also topped CS San Bernardino this past Saturday, 9-6. Sophomore Jillian Stapf combined for 34 saves in these two wins, 20 vs. the Coyotes, a 2008 single-game high for any MPSF goalkeeper. She averages 8.96 saves per game, No. 3 in the conference.
UC SANTA BARBARA (5-18 overall/1-11 MPSF) is seeded 12th following a 12-5 setback at CS Northridge, and faces No. 5 seed Hawaii Thursday (Apr. 24) at 11:20 am. The Gauchos are led by junior Gillian Morgan who has totaled 43 goals (1.87/gm).
PACIFIC (4-25 overall/0-12 MPSF) dropped a 14-5 non-league contest at No. 10 UC Davis Saturday to conclude the regular season. The Tigers are the 13 seed this week, and will first meet No. 4 seed and tournament host San Diego State Thursday (Apr. 24) at 10 am. Senior Kellie Fletcher ranks second on the conference with 70 goals (2.50/gm).
McGRATH AND STAPF NAMED MPSF MIKASA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Woodland, Calif. - Arizona State junior Addison McGrath (Laguna Beach, CA/Laguna Beach HS) scored three goals in a 10-7 upset over No. 4 San Diego State Saturday in Tempe. The win marked the third for the Sun Devils this year over a top-four team. McGrath owns an MPSF-high 73 goals this year..... CS Northridge sophomore goalkeeper Jillian Stapf (Hudsonville, MI/Hudsonville HS) combined for 34 saves in two wins on the final day of the regular season. She stopped 14 shots in the MPSF win over UCSB and 20 more against CS San Bernardino, a single-game high this year for any MPSF goalkeeper.... NOTE: McGrath and Stapf will face one-another in the opening round of the MPSF Tournament Thursday (Apr. 24) as the No. 6 Sun Devils take on the No. 11 Matadors.