Fourth-Seeded UCLA Earns NCAA Spot
April 30, 2018 | Women's Water Polo
INDIANAPOLIS -- The UCLA women's water polo team has been awarded the No. 4 seed at the upcoming NCAA Women's National Collegiate Water Polo Championships, the NCAA Selection Committee announced Monday.
The Bruins (22-7) will open play with Pacific (18-7) on Friday, May 11 at USC's Uytengsu Aquatic Center. First sprint is set for 1:45 p.m. For information regarding tickets, parking, live stats and streaming and more, visit Tournament Central.
The eight-team field will be finalized Tuesday, May 8 with a pair of opening-round contests at USC. UC Irvine (14-13) will take on Pomona-Pitzer (21-10) in a Southern California showdown at 4:30, before UC San Diego (24-11) faces off with Wagner (24-6) at 7 p.m. Four first-round matchups will follow Friday with top-seeded USC (23-1) playing the UC San Diego-Wagner winner at noon. The Bruins and Tigers will play in Game 2, to be followed by a 3:30 contest between No. 2 Stanford (18-3) and UC Irvine or Pomona-Pitzer. No. 3 California (19-5) will close things out with Michigan (32-8) at 5:15 p.m.
Semifinal games will be held at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 12, with the final set for 3 p.m. on Sunday.
The Bruins were granted one of three at-large bids by the committee, with MPSF foes Stanford and California collecting the others. The seven automatic berths were earned by conference champions USC (MPSF), Michigan (CWPA), Pacific (GCC), UC Irvine (Big West), Pomona-Pitzer (SCIAC), UC San Diego (WWPA) and Wagner (MAAC).
UCLA has already faced off with Pacific twice this season, notching a 10-4 win over the Tigers at the Michigan Invitational (Jan. 28) before taming them on the road, 12-8 (March 11). The Bruins hold an all-time record of 22-0 versus Pacific.
