Anteaters Host Barbara Kalbus Invitational; Open With LMU

Friday, February 21

Irvine, CA

4:40 PM

UC Irvine

LMU

Anteaters Host Barbara Kalbus Invitational; Open With LMU

February 20, 2025 | Women's Water Polo

By: Jordan Kehoe

IRVINE, Calif. – No. 6/6 UC Irvine welcomes the top teams in the country into the Anteater Aquatics Complex this weekend (Feb. 21-Feb. 23) for four games of competition each. The Anteaters will first face No. 14 LMU on Friday Feb. 21 with a 4:40 p.m. start.

Due to pool capacity of 500 at Anteater Aquatics Complex, fans are encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of time, particularly for the semi-final and final segments of the weekend.

Week Five Notes | Tickets

GAME SCHEDULE
No. 14/13 LMU at No. 6/6 UC Irvine
Friday, February 21 | 4:40 PM | Anteater Aquatics Complex
Live Stats

No. 3 UCLA or No. 23 Pomona-Pitzer at No. 6/6 UC Irvine
Saturday, February 22 | 12:00 PM | Anteater Aquatics Complex or CdM High School
Live Stats

No. 6/6 UC Irvine vs. TBA
Saturday, February 22 | TBA | TBA
Live Stats

No. 6/6 UC Irvine vs. TBA
Sunday, February 23 | TBA | TBA
Live Stats

THIS WEEK'S STORYLINES
> UC Irvine enters the week ranked sixth in both the CWPA Weekly Poll and the Association of College Water Polo Coaches poll
> Sophomore Lauren Hett was named the Big West Player of the Week on Feb. 19 for the second time in her career and first of the season
> Hett registered a game-high five goals against No. 3/3 UCLA on Saturday (Feb. 15), resetting her career-best while shooting 50 percent at the cage (5-10)
> UCI hosts the annual Barbara Kalbus this weekend, welcoming the top teams in the country to the Anteater Aquatics Complex
> The Anteaters are grouped with No. 3 UCLA, No. 23 Pomona-Pitzer, and No. 14 LMU who UCI will face first in the four-game weekend
> No. 14 LMU enters the contest with a 6-6 overall record, 1-0 in the GCC
> The Lions and Anteaters are set to meet up later this season in the Convergence Invitational
> LMU is paced by Ruth Arino Ruiz' 38 goals and 24 assists, good for second and first in the GCC respectively
> Alyssa Barnuevo tops the Lions with 84 saves
> UCI will face the winner or loser of the No. 3 UCLA and No. 23 Pomona-Pitzer contest, having faced each team at least once this season

NOTES
> UC Irvine hosted their first home contest of the season on Saturday, dropping a tight 16-15 match to the visitors in No. 3/3 UCLA
> Versus No. 3/3 UCLA
   -- The Anteaters (3-5) were led by Lauren Hett's five goals, followed by Brooke Hourigan with four goals and two assists
   -- Libby Alexander added two goals, two assists and a steal
   -- Nioka Thomas netted two goals while Kennedy East and Pippa Heaver added one each
   -- Goalkeeper Ella Walker logged five saves in her first career start
   -- Sara Naulty had a team-best three assists
   -- The Bruins (8-1) were led by Emma Lineback and Anna Pearson with four goals each
   -- UCLA goalkeeper Joey Niz was clutch late, recording 12 saves while starter Lauren Steele had two saves
   -- The Bruins took advantage of 14 UCI exclusions, scoring on four power plays and five penalty shots
   -- 15 goals by UCI are the most by the Anteaters in the all-time series history
> Lauren Hett leads all Anteaters with 16 points on the season with 13 goals and three assists
> Libby Alexander and Nioka Thomas are behind Hett with eight goals each
> Brooke Hourigan leads the distribution effort for the Anteaters with eight dimes and both Pippa Heaver and Sara Naulty close with five
> Hett holds the team lead of six steals and Mary Hassett and Rachel Kirchner sit second with four steals apiece