IRVINE, Calif. – The second-ranked UCLA women's water polo team heads to UC Irvine this week for a primetime match against the ninth-ranked Anteaters.  The game takes place at the Anteater Aquatics Complex at 7 p.m. PT on Friday.

The Bruins (7-1) are off to a hot start this season, going 4-0 at the UCSB Winter Invite in January and finishing second at the Triton Invitational last weekend.  Despite the Bruins' loss of top attackers Rachel Fattal, Kodi Hill, and Alys Williams to the U.S. National Team this season to train for the 2016 Olympics, UCLA still has fire power in its lineup.  In eight games, 12 different Bruins have found the back of the net.  Junior Mackenzie Barr leads the squad with 14 goals, which includes a team-high four against Long Beach State.  Two more Bruins have scored in the double digits as senior India Forster and sophomore Devin Grab own 12 goals and 10 goals apiece, respectively. 

In the cage, senior Alex Musselman and freshman Carlee Kapana have stepped in to fill the shoes of recent grad Sami Hill.  Musselman has recorded 20 saves in 3.5 games for a 5.71 saves per game average.   In her collegiate debut, Kapana totaled 27 saves and allowed just 12 goals (.692 save percentage) against No. 12 Michigan and No. 14 UCSB.  The newcomer posted 15 saves against the Gauchos and was five-for-six on stops when facing the power play.  Her standout performance at the UCSB Invitational earned her MPSF/Kap7 Newcomer of the Week honors (Jan. 26).     

UCLA suffered its first loss of the season to crosstown rival USC in the championship game at the Triton Invitational on Sunday.  Although the Bruins held the Trojans scoreless in the fourth quarter, they were unable to overcome the two-point deficit amassed over the prior three. 

Scouting the Anteaters

UC Irvine (6-4) continued an up-and-down start to the season finishing fifth in the Triton Invitational, pulling out three wins, but a tough defeat in the process.        

Sophomore Mary Brooks scored in all four matches for 10 total goals on the weekend.  Brooks leads the team in scoring with 16 goals, while Natalie Seidemann and Kelli Baumgardner have netted nine goals and seven goals, respectively. 

Freshman Jenna Phreaner remained in net for all four matches at the Triton Invitational.  She turned away 26 shots total on the weekend including 11 in the finale against UCSD, a career high and her first double-digit save effort of her career.  The newcomer has posted 55 saves on the season for a .495 save percentage. 

Matchup History

The Bruins and Anteaters have had some tight matches of late including an 8-5 UCLA win last year.  The last trip to Irvine saw UCLA win by one on a goal with four seconds left in regulation.  UCLA has defeated UC Irvine in each of the previous 19 matches.