USC Wins UCSD Invitational To Kick-Off 2014
Feb. 10, 2014
Women's Water Polo Release 5
USC (4-0 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) opened its season this past weekend (Feb. 8-9) at the UC San Diego Invitational, posting four wins and a tournament title. The Trojans easily got past Sonoma State 25-2, and CS Northridge 13-0 on Saturday, before topping Arizona State in the semifinals, 10-4, and UC Irvine in the finals, 8-3. 2013 MPSF Player of the Year Monica Vavic accumulated 11 weekend goals, while Stephania Haralabidis recorded seven in her weekend debut. Flora Bolonyai allowed only seven goals in 13 quarters (2.15 GAA), while totaling 33 saves (10.15 SPG), 11 coming in the finals vs. UCI.
ARIZONA STATE (6-3 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) won three of four games at the UCSD Invitational, defeating Hartwick 13-4, Santa Clara 19-4, and Loyola Marymount for third-place, 12-7. Alkistis Benekou collected 13 goals for the weekend, followed by Izabella Chiappini with 12, including all four Sun Devil goals vs. the Trojans in the semifinal. EB Keeve recorded a 47-save tournament (11.75 SPG), with 14 being an MPSF season-high against Santa Clara.
STANFORD (4-0 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) was off last week, after opening the 2014 season with four home wins in winning the Stanford Invitational for the fifth straight year. The Cardinal got past UC Davis, 16-3, Hawaii, 16-5, UC Irvine, 13-9, and UCLA, 8-4. Kiley Neushul posted two hat tricks over the weekend, including a five-goal effort vs. UC Davis, on her way to an 11-goal total. Anna Yelizarova also accumulated 11 invitational goals in four games. Gabby Stone collected 10 saves in the cage in the championship vs. UCLA.
UCLA (11-1 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) was off last week. The Bruins defeated Michigan, 12-3, California in overtime, 10-9, and San Jose State, 14-6, at the Stanford Invitational. Becca Dorst recorded 10 goals and three steals over the four games. Goalkeeper Sami Hill picked up 10 saves in the championship game against Stanford.
CALIFORNIA (9-1 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) was off last week. Freshman Dora Antal accumulated 15 goals in leading three wins at the Stanford Invitational. She scored a tournament-high six goals against Michigan, a 9-6 Cal win, along with five against No. 5 UC Irvine, also won by Cal, 12-6. The Bears third win came in a tight 9-8 outcome over San Jose State. Antal is the MPSF leading scorer through 10 games, the first to put away 40, for an average of four per contest.
SAN JOSE STATE (8-5 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) Rae Lekness and Clara Espar totaled seven goals apiece in the four games at the Stanford Invitational. The Spartans came away with a win over Michigan, 14-6, and within one goal of two top-six teams, 9-8 against No. 5 Cal and 12-11 vs. No. 6 Hawaii.
BAKERSFIELD (3-7 Overall, 0-0 MPSF) split two games at Cal Baptist ton Feb. 1, defeating Claremont, 13-9, and losing to San Diego State, 14-6. Niki De Leon combined for five goals and four drawn ejections. Courtney Wahlstrom combined for 21 saves in the cage, 13 vs. the Aztecs.