IRVINE, Calif. – The Anteaters are set to rematch No. 1/1 USC on Saturday (Feb. 8) in Los Angeles, hoping to hand the Women of Troy their first loss of the season.
 
Week Three Notes
 
GAME SCHEDULE
No. 6/6 UC Irvine vs. No. 1/1 USC
Saturday, February 8 | 1:00 PM | Uytengsu Aquatics Center
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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
> UCI will play their first true road game of the season as they make their way to Los Angeles for their second meeting of the season with the top-ranked team in the nation, USC
> The two teams met in the Anteaters opening weekend at the Lancer Joust where the Women of Troy prevailed, 18-15
> Both programs scored the most goals against each other in the all-time series history
> UCI is still looking for their first ever win against USC in program history
> No. 1/1 USC heads into the weekend with an unblemished 8-0 overall record, most recently claiming the Triton Invitational title
> The Women of Troy ended 2024 with a 18-9 overall record, 4-2 in the MPSF, and took a first round exit in the NCAA Championship to conference foe Stanford (L, 8-3)
> USC returns Olympians in Emily Ausmus (USA, freshman) and Tilly Kearns (Australia, senior) for the 2025 campaign
> Kearns set a new career-high seven goals in the 30-8 win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, becoming the first USC player to score than many goals in a game since 2021
> Rachel Gazzaniga and Ausmus swept the MPSF Weekly Awards as the MSPF Player of the Week and MPSF Newcomer of the Week, respectively
> Ausmus leads all Women of Troy players with 45 points (26 goals and 19 assists) followed by Kearns with 38 points (29 goals and nin assists)
> Ava Stryker also has 20 or more goals on the season with 22 as she converts an efficient 76 percent of her shots (22-29)
> Four USC goalkeepers have seen time in the cage this season, Jada Ward playing a team-high seven contests while making 41 total saves

NOTES
> UC Irvine advanced to the third-place game at the Triton Invitational last weekend, but dropped their final two contests to finish fourth at the tournament
> Against California Baptist (W, 22-10)...
    -- The Anteaters had four-goal games from both center Maja Layden and attacker Lauren Hett             
    -- Freshman Deirdre Murphy notched a hat-trick in the win, the first of her career
    -- Libby Alexander, Mary Hassett, and Nioka Thomas all finished with two goals apiece
    -- Kennedy East, Gracie Helberg, Brooke Hourigan, Sara Naulty, and Madi O'Hara rounded out the scoring, each adding a goal
    -- UCI has won 22 straight against California Baptist
> Versus Long Beach State (W, 15-12)...
    -- Lauren Hett along with Nioka Thomas led the way with three goals 
    -- Three different 'Eaters had multi-goal periods with Hett in the first, Gabby Alexander in the second, and Sara Naulty in the third
    -- Thomas was the only 'Eater to score in three different periods
    -- Single-goal scorers included Kennedy East, Brooke Hourigan, Madi O'Hara, Pippa Heaver, and Peyton Pierson
> Against UCLA (L, 17-7)...
    -- Lauren Hett was powerful, leading the team with two goals
    -- Charley Birdsall contributed her first goal of the year
    -- Pippa Heaver has scored in two straight games
    -- Seven goals are the fewest by the Anteaters this season
> Versus Hawai'i (L, 18-17 OT)...
    -- Senior Libby Alexander was credited with the final two goals at the end of regulation, finishing the afternoon with four goals
    -- Lauren Hett, Kennedy East, and Sara Naulty all finished with two goals
    -- 11 different Anteaters contributed to the scoring
    -- It was UCI's second straight loss to UH
    -- With the loss, the Anteaters finished fourth at the Triton Invite