#7 UC Irvine Anteaters at #17 UC Davis Aggies
Date / Time: Sat. Mar. 29, 2013 / 12:00 PM
Site: Davis, Calif. / Schaal Aquatics Center
#7 UC Irvine Anteaters at #20 Pacific Tigers
Date / Time: Sun. Mar. 30, 2013 / 12:00 PM
Site: Stockton, Calif. / Kjeldsen Pool Complex
EXCLUSIONS AND INCLUSIONS
UCI's defense is averaging 5.93 goals allowed per match. The 'Eaters have given up 10 goals in two of their 20 matches.
UCI recorded the first ever shutout in program history on Friday with a 14-0 win over Occidental.
Hillary Estrada remains the only Anteater with 20+ assists and steals with 26 and 20, respectively. Estrada has also added 18 exclusions earned and 12 field blocks.
The 'Eaters are a 40% power play squad scoring 42 goals in 104 opportunities. Opponents are 32% against the 'Eater penalty kill scoring 41 times in 128 chances.
CAPPING UP
McKenna Mitchell has been the 'Eaters' scoring leader in six matches. Alongside her are Hannah Croghan (four times), Taylor Morrison and Kelsey Klatt (three times), Cambria Shockley (twice), and once each from Emily Carlson, Hillary Estrada, Michaela Pierandozzi, Ambyr Stewart, and Layne Kipp.
Michaela Pierandozzi has eclipsed the 50-goal plateau. Her 12 goals on the year give her 57 in her career.
Kelsey Klatt and Hannah Croghan are approaching the 100-goal mark for the 'Eaters. Klatt's 29 this season is second on the team giving her 98 over her career. Croghan is right on her tail with 27 this season, third on the squad, and 99 career goals.
SKIP SHOTS
UCI has the nation's top three teams on its ledger this season:
Stanford - Opening day test Jan. 26th as part of the UCSB Gaucho Invitational. UCI trailed by one at halftime and two after three quarters holding the top-ranked Cardinal to half (9) of its season average 18 goals in a 9-4 defeat.
UCLA - Amidst non-conference action, a Feb. 15th road match sandwiched between the UCSD and UCI invites. UCLA jumped out early, but the 'Eaters reeled them back in to take brief leads in both the second and third quarters before succumbing late in a 9-6 loss at UCLA.
The two matched up again at the UCI Invite with both schools holding the lead at different points. UCI tied the match at 6-6 with 22 seconds remaining, but UCLA escaped with the final blow with four seconds left.
USC - Apr. 6th at Anteater Aquatics Complex during the height of Big West play
The Anteaters will host the Big West Tournament for the first time in program history. The three-day event last goes from April 26-28 and will determine who receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in Boston, Massachusetts.
UCI played its first 11 matches on the road and 17 of its first 22. It ends the season on a run of four home matches in the team's final five games. Through the first 11, the Anteaters went 7-4.
BARRING OUT
UCI and the Big West welcome two new schools into the fold: Hawaii and San Diego State.
Hawaii dropped down in the rankings in 2012 finishing the season with a 10-15 record and a No. 15 ranking.
San Diego State finished eighth in the nation with a 22-11 record. UCI bested SDSU twice in 2012, both by a single goal.
PRESEASON POLO
UC Irvine started the season out ranked sixth in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) preseason poll. The No. 6 ranking ties the highest preseason rank for UCI matching its ranking in 2012. UCI was also ranked fifth in the waterpoloplanet.com preseason poll. It started out 2012 tied for fifth in the rankings.
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
UCI trips it up to Davis and Stockton for more Big West action this weekend. First stop will be Davis to play the 12-12 Aggies ranked 17th.
UCI took UC Davis down in the UCI Invitational last month, 9-4. Lately, the Aggies have lost five in a row, all by two goals or less and four by just one goal, to schools such as CSUN, UCSB, SDSU, UCSD, and Princeton.
Carmen Eggert and Jessica Dunn pace the Aggies with 56 and 45 goals, respectively. Dunn has also added 38 assists and Eggert with 38 steals. Erin Schlueter is also a factor with 30 assists and 33 steals.
UCI finishes the trip with the 16-8 Pacific Tigers. The 20th-ranked Tigers have already upended Hartwick, LMU, and UCSB this season with additional close losses to CSUN, UCSD, and Arizona State.
Coming into the past weekend, Pacific had some pretty balanced scoring led by Brydie Pye's 42. Taylor Adair with 32 and Gracie Smith with 31 compliment Pye who also brings 25 assists and 25 steals to the pool. Elise Martin is also a factor assisting on 58 goals. Goalkeeper Michele Relton also powers the Tigers with 252 saves and a 7.55 goals-against-average.
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