PLEASE NOTE - This event is closed to the public. Based on a campus directive, decisions were made in support of the concept of "social distancing," which is a public health concept to reduce the probability of contact between individuals who are or may be carrying a highly contagious disease. In support of these efforts, all UCI Athletics events and competitions will continue as CLOSED events. As such there will be no spectators or fans at these events.
 
Thursday, March 12
No. 5 UC Irvine Anteaters (15-5) vs. RV Azusa Pacific (4-9)
7:00 PM – Anteater Aquatics Complex – Irvine, Calif.
Live Stats

Friday, March 13
No. 5 UC Irvine Anteaters (15-5) vs. No. 2 UCLA (19-2)
6:00 PM – Anteater Aquatics Complex – Irvine, Calif.
Live stats

Weekend Storylines

• UCI is 15-5 on the season after a wins against UC Davis and Cal last week
• UCI remained No. 5 in this week's national rankings
• The Anteaters host Azusa Pacific and UCLA for the first time this season
• UCLA has won three-straight games and ranks No. 2 in the country
• APU is receiving votes in the national poll and dropped its last game to Pacific
• UCI is 0-26 all-time against UCLA and will looks for its first win against the Bruins in program history
• The Anteaters are 1-0 against APU all-time and will meet for the first time since 2016

About the Cougars

• APU is 4-9 on the year with a one-game losing streak
• Milena Guzman Ortiz leads the Cougars with 22 goals and 13 steals on the season
• In goal, Olivia Lott has 85 saves for a .429 save percentage

About the Bruins

• UCLA is 19-2 on the season with losses against UCSB (9-8) and USC (9-7)
• Abbi Hill leads the team with 41 goals while Katrina Drake has 29
• In goal, Georgia Phillps has recorded nine starts, 83 saves and a 6.57 goals against average

 
Team Notes

• UCI earned its highest ranking in program history coming in at No. 3 in the first Collegiate Water Polo Coaches Association (CWPA) National Poll of the season. The 'Eaters began pre-season ranked No. 5 nationally, tying the 2016 team for the highest rank to open a season
• The 'Eaters have seven wins over top-10 teams this season
• UCI opened the 2020 season with a 12-7 upset win over fourth-ranked Cal. It marked just the second time, and first since 2005, the Anteaters have beaten the Bears
• The 'Eaters fifth-place finish at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational was their highest since 2015
• The Anteaters are 14-6 in season openers including wins in three of their last four
• Tara Prentice was named the Big West Player of the week for the third time in her career after leading the Anteaters with 12 goals at the Cal Cup including a career-tying five goal performance against Cal
• Head coach Dan Klatt reached his 300^th career win with UCI's 14-6 victory over Fresno State (Feb. 26). He is in his 16^th season at UCI
• Prentice leads the team with 57 goals scored which is good for second in the conference and fifth in the nation
• Morgan Jones has started every game in goal and has 158 saves on the season, which ranks third nationally
• Sophomore Piper Smith is second on the roster with 29 goals

Last Time Out

• UCI earned its first Big West Conference win of the season, 14-8, over UC Davis
• The Anteaters followed that up with a 9-7 win over Cal
• Toni Shackelford recorded a career-high six goals against UC Davis

Roster Sneak Peak
"We only lost three seniors last year so our roster is fairly consistent with what it was in 2019. With the improvement of our returning players plus the addition of the newcomers, I am really excited for the roster we have."
 
Senior two time All-American Tara Prentice returns as UCI's leading scorer after posting 70 goals, the second most in a season in program history. She also finished with 24 steals and 11 assists. Sophomore All-Conference selection Piper Smith will look to have a breakout season after finishing third on the team a year ago with 40 goals and 15 steals.
 
Second team All-Conference goalkeeper Morgan Jones returns as UCI's starting goalie. In 2019 she started 26 games tallying 172 saves. She finished with a 6.15 goals against average.
 
The 'Eaters will look to fill the hole left by four time All-American Mary Brooks who ended her career as the 7^th leading scorer all-time in the Big West.

UCI will get senior leadership from Prentice, Delayne Lynton, Jolene Viramontes and Marissa Echelberger.
 
Fresh Face, Our Place
UCI brings in eight freshmen and one transfer for the 2020 season. Camila Rosas comes to Irvine from Long Beach City College where she was named an All-South Coast Conference first-team selection last season.
 
The eight true freshman include Portia Schiavone, Kili Skibby, Maeve Murphy, Elena Flynn, Jensine Bugelli, Airian Grisham, Mica Schiavone and Sydney Milham

UP NEXT
UCI will break for final exams before resuming action at Hawaii Friday, March 27 at 6 p.m