Big West Water Polo Round-Up; Hawai’i, UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara Ahead of the Rest

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The return of UCI's Mary Brooks is great news for Anteater fans—and heartburn for the rest of the conference. Photo Courtesy: Glen Feingerts

After the distraction—as well as an expected loss—produced from a visit last Saturday by the top-ranked Trojans of USC, Hawai’i can get back the business at hand: extending an impressive regular season win streak against Big West opponents. The Rainbow Wahine—#5 in the latest Collegiate Water Polo Association’s Top-25 poll—have a match Saturday at home against conference rival California State University at Northridge (CSUN). This kicks off month-long sprint, as 24 of combined 33 matches for all six Big West members are against conference foes—meaning seeding for the 2019 Big West Tournament, to be played April 26 – 28 at Long Beach State, will be determined now.

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Despite back-to-back losses to MPSF powers #4 Cal and #1 USC, Hawai’i (12-4; 1-0 Big West)—led by Irene Gonzalez (44 goals in 2019; 210 for her career) and Elyse Lemay-Lavoie (35 goals)—remains Swimming World’s choice to finish on top of the Big West regular season standings. Close losses to non-conference opponents—the Golden Bears won by a goal and the Trojans by four—have no bearing on the Rainbow Wahine’s drive for first-place, though they underscore the gap between the big four (USC, Stanford, UCLA, Cal) and the rest of the country.

But it’s goalie Bridget Layburn who is likely most essential to Hawai’i’s continuing its Big West winning ways. The freshman from New Zealand has become Head Coach Maureen Cole’s first choice in goal, and she’s delivered thus far, backstopping wins over #7 Pacific, #8 Arizona State and #11 UC Davis—the latter’s tenth-straight in conference regular season play. With team’s most important remaining match in two weeks, when Hawai’i travels to Irvine for a match up with UCI, reigning conference champs, Layburn will look to shut down her team’s chief antagonist.

UCI

The Rainbow Wahine are #5 in the country, but rankings go out the window when they meet the Anteaters, currently the nation’s tenth-ranked team. In last year’s Big West final, Hawai’i was again ranked fifth, but the host UC Irvine (13-7; 0-1 Big West) delivered a resounding upset in their pool, taking an 8-7 victory in sudden-death overtime. The golden goal was delivered by senior Cara Borkovec; she’s no longer playing for Head Coach Dan Klatt, but Tara Prentice (47 goals) is, and Mary Brooks (37 goals) has returned after red-shirting in 2018. Brooks was back-to-back Big West Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017, so her addition to the Anteater line-up is a huge shot of offensive adrenaline.

[Q&A with Mary Brooks on her Water Polo Passion]

UCI has a non-conference match on Monday against #2 Stanford, and will then face CSUN on March 30 before hosting The Rainbow Wahine on April 6. This match may determine the big cheese in the Big West.

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Contrary to prognosticators, it’s NOT a two-team race for top spot in the conference. UC Santa Barbara (16-5; 1-0 Big West) already owns a win this season over UC Irvine, and is sitting at #9 in the Top-25. Head Coach Serela Kay has gotten predictable production from Sarah Snyder (53 goals) and Kate Pipkin (27 goals). The pleasant surprise has been the play of freshman Amanda Legaspi (35 goals); she’s been the difference maker in a number of Gaucho wins, including a huge goal late in an early season upset over then #7 Arizona State.

On the UCSB back-lines, Kay has employed a goalie rotation of junior Kenzi Snyder and sophomore Becca Buck. Both netminders have Goals Against Averages (GAA) under 6, and they provide a potent argument that no one should take the Gauchos lightly.

uc-davis-aggies#11 UC Davis is—like all the Big West squads—ranked in the CWPA poll. With a loss to Hawai’i earlier this month, the Aggies (13-9; 0-1 Big West) appear to be the odd team out in the Big West merry-go-round. backed by freshman Noelle Wijnbelt (40 goals) and Annie Kutt (36 goals) and Chloe Robinson (26 goals, 33 assists, team-high 59 points), Head Coach Jamey Wright certainly has a strong offensive core that can compete with any conference rivals. Top Goalie Caitlin Golding has a GAA just under 10; if the Aggies are to get to the Big West title match for the first time since 2012.

LBSAt eight games and counting, the 49ers of #14 Long Beach State (12-10; 2-0 Big West) are riding their longest winning streak since a 14-match splurge in 2013. A non-conference match against Brown next Wednesday is a warm-up for the biggest threat to LBSU’s streak: an April 5 contest against the Aggies—who the 49ers beat in last year’s Big West third place match—following by a match April 7 against Hawai’i.

Orsi Hertzka (55 goals) and Marilia Eleni Mimidi (35 goals) have powered the LBSU winning streak; the difference for Gavin Arroyo’s squad against Big West opponents will likely be goalie Eirini Patras (13 GAA) who has started every match this season and will likely be between the 49er pipes the rest of the way.

csunIn a year of offensive explosions, Tori Wilson of CSUN may be the conference’s most impressive performer. A transfer from Hartwick’s shuttered program, the Canadian native has racked up superb numbers as a member of the #21 Matadors (13-13; 0-1 Big West). In her first season of Big West play, Wilson is making a case as the league’s top player. According to the Chris Hargrave, the Big West’s Assistant Director of Championships & Communications, she’s tied for the league lead in goals (54), is third in assists (25), first in points (79) and first in steals (33). But the junior is not a one-woman wrecking crew. Madasonne Butler (31 goals) and Katia Andon-Mateos (30 goals) have supported their new teammate, while goalie Emma Pfister has registered an impressive 199 saves to go along with a sub-10 GAA (9.05).

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Tori Wilson (seen here playing for Hartwick last season) has continued her torrid scoring out West. Photo Courtesy: Gerry Raymonda

The Matadors may not be favored to win the Big West this season, but Head Coach Matt Warshaw’s squad is sure to be a tough out in the conference tournament six weeks from now—and tomorrow against Hawai’i.

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