USC Opens Uytengsu With MPSF Win
March 10, 2014
MPSF Women's Water Polo Release 9
USC (14-0 Overall, 2-0 MPSF) played its first official game at Uytengsu Aquatics Center, site of this year's MPSF and NCAA Tournaments, opening the venue with a 22-7 MPSF win over Bakersfield. Monica Vavic shared a game-high four goals, followed by hat tricks from Stephania and Ioanna Haralabidis, Nikki Stansfield, and Olivia Cummins. Trojans host California Saturday (Mar. 15) at 4:30 pm on Pac-12 Networks.
CALIFORNIA (14-3 Overall, 1-0 MPSF) earned a 12-10 MPSF-opening win at home against San Jose State last Saturday, in spite of the absences of Tiera Schroeder and MPSF leading scorer Dora Antal. Freshman Roser Tarrago put away her second six-goal performance of the year, all in the first-half, while Madeline Trabucco collected 13 saves. The Bears head to No. 1 USC Saturday and Loyola Marymount Sunday.
UCLA (17-2 Overall, 1-0 MPSF) posted an 11-7 victory in its MPSF opener Sunday at home against Arizona State. Rachel Fattal scored a pair of goals, including a penalty, and recorded three assists, three steals and three earned exclusions. The Bruins are off until hosting Harvard on March 21.
STANFORD (13-1 Overall, 1-0 MPSF) routed Loyola Marymount and Fresno Pacific, 18-4 and 20-4 respectively in Fresno Saturday, as it heads into the final exams break. Maggie Steffens recorded five of her six goals on the day against the Lions. Ashley Grossman and Kiley Neushul each added hat tricks, before Jamie Neushul scored a game-high four goals against FPU.
ARIZONA STATE (9-6 Overall, 0-2 MPSF) Liz Kreek was the Sun Devil multiple-goal scorer at UCLA on Sunday, with two. Arizona State hosts Marist Friday (Mar. 14) to open the ASU Invitational. ASU also hosts Occidental, Whittier, and in an MPSF game, Bakersfield, over this weekend's invitational.
SAN JOSE STATE (13-9 Overall, 0-2 MPSF) Clara Espar Llaquet scored a Spartan-high three goals at California last Saturday. Timi Molnar and Rae Lekness added two apiece. San Jose State will partake in the Aztec Invitational this week, facing Bucknell and Princeton Saturday, followed by Wagner and Harvard Sunday.
BAKERSFIELD (9-14 Overall, 0-1 MPSF) freshman Kristen Jensen shared a game-high four goals, two on penalty shots, at top-ranked USC last Friday. The Roadrunners play five games in Tempe, AZ, this weekend, facing Occidental Friday, Azusa Pacific and the host Arizona State Saturday, along with Whittier and Marist Sunday.