UCLA
Chinese National Team (Scrimmage)
No. 4 UCLA Readies for Michigan Invite
January 26, 2018 | Women's Water Polo
ON DECK THIS WEEK
The No. 4 UCLA women's water polo team is one of seven teams in Ann Arbor, Mich. for the Michigan Invitational, which will take place Saturday and Sunday at Canham Natatorium. UCLA will have a busy Saturday, beginning with its second scrimmage against the Chinese National Team (5 a.m., PT) in as many weeks. The Bruins will then take on No. 24 Marist (9 a.m.) before ending Day 1 with another Top-10 battle with No. 8 Michigan. Sunday will feature two games, as UCLA takes on No. 20 Wagner (7:15 a.m.) and No. 9 Pacific (12:15 p.m.).
SERIES HISTORY
UCLA has squared off with Marist just once, defeating the Red Foxes by a 14-3 score in the consolation round of the 2010 NCAA Championships. The Bruins jumped out to an 11-0 lead and were led by KK Clark's four goals. The Bruins were challenged down to the final buzzer, but last week's 5-4 win over Michigan improved their all-time record to 22-0 against the Wolverines. UCLA, meanwhile, holds a 2-0 mark versus Wagner, most recently taking down the Seahawks in the first round of last year's NCAA Championships, 17-2. Four Bruins netted hat tricks in the win. UCLA also has an unblemished mark against Pacific, going 20-0 against the Tigers since 1995. The Bruins posted a 15-4 win over the Tigers at last year's UCSB Winter Invitational. Rachel Fattal, Maddie Musselman and Alexis Angermund each scored three goals in the win.
WEEK IN REVIEW
The Bruins recorded four wins in two days at the UCSB Winter Invitational in Santa Barbara, Calif (Jan. 20-21). Goals were at a premium against No. 8 Michigan, as a Musselman goal with 2:07 remaining in the game allowed the Bruins to prevail over the Wolverines, 5-4. Later that day, UCLA scored the first eight goals in its game against Fresno Pacific on the way to a 21-4 victory. In Sunday's opener, the Bruins held a lead of just 6-5 over host No. 19 UC Santa Barbara with 7:26 remaining before scoring four of the game's final five goals in a 10-6 win. UCLA wrapped up its time at UCSB by scoring eight of the game's last nine goals in a 9-3 win over No. 16 UC San Diego. Lizette Rozeboom led the way with nine goals in the four games.
IN THE CAGE
It has been a balanced effort thus far in goal for the Bruins, as Jahmea Bent, Carlee Kapana and Hannah Storum have each spent considerable time in the cage. Bent has played two games for the Bruins, allowing seven goals in her eight quarters for a 3.5 goals-against average (GAA). She has also tallied 14 saves, including eight in her debut against Loyola Marymount. Storum has also played two games, allowing eight goals (4 GAA) while posting a team-best 18 saves. Kapana has played one game, giving up four goals and tallying 11 saves in the Bruins' 5-4 win over Michigan.
BRUINS FOURTH IN WEEK 2 POLL
The Bruins are ranked No. 4 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association's Week 2 poll, it was announced Jan. 24. Stanford maintained its hold on the top spot (99 points), while California leapfrogged UCLA and USC to take the No. 2 slot (93). USC is now No. 3 (92), just ahead of the Bruins (91). Arizona State (81) rounds out the Top 5. UCLA was previously voted tied for third with USC in the preseason MPSF rankings, behind Stanford and Cal and in front ASU and San Jose State, respectively.
THE WRIGHT WAY
Adam Wright, who has coached the UCLA men's water polo team to three NCAA Championships (2014, 2015, 2017), will now guide both the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams, Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero announced July 20, 2017. Wright has an overall record of 227-37 (.860) and an MPSF mark of 51-12 (.810). From 2014-16, Wright's Bruins set an NCAA record with 57 consecutive victories and a conference record with 26 consecutive MPSF wins. Prior to becoming head coach of the men's program in 2009, he served as an assistant coach with the men's and women's teams during the 2008-09 school year, helping the women win an unprecedented fifth consecutive NCAA Championship in May 2009.
FAMILIAR FACES
Wright completed his staff on Aug. 31, 2017 with the hiring of Kodi Hill, who joined Dusty Litvak as an assistant coach. A 2017 graduate of UCLA, Hill was an instrumental member of a Bruin class that amassed a record of 105-17 over its four years in the pool. Litvak previously served under Wright in the same role for the men's team during 2013 and 2014 and worked in a volunteer capacity with the women's team each of the past two seasons.
