Friday, February 26
Irvine, CA
3:00 PM
UCLA
at
UC Irvine
Val Ayala scored twice in the Bruins' season-opening win at Fresno State (Feb. 14).
Photo by: Jesus Sepulveda
No. 3 UCLA Visits No. 5 UC Irvine
February 25, 2021 | Women's Water Polo
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LOS ANGELES โ No. 3 UCLA (1-0, 0-0 MPSF) visits No. 5 UC Irvine (4-1) on Friday, Feb. 26 at 3:00 p.m. PT at UCI's Anteater Aquatics Complex. UC Irvineย will provide a live stream and live stats for the game against the Bruins (links below).
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Friday, Feb. 26 (Anteater Aquatics Complex)
3:00 PM PT โ No. 3 UCLA at No. 5 UC Irvineย LIVE STATSย |ย LIVE STREAM
SERIES HISTORY
This is the 30th meeting between UCLA and UC Irvineย with the Bruins winning the previous 29 contests. The Bruins were slated to play at UC Irvine on March 13, 2020, but COVID-19 shut the season down on Mar. 12. UCLA played the Anteaters three times during the 2019 season, sweeping the Anteaters, posting wins by scores of 10-6, 11-6, and 13-10 in overtime.
SCOUTING THE ANTEATERS
UC Irvine (4-1) is already out to a hot start in 2021, defeating California Baptist, 11-5, and 16-3, on Feb. 6. UCI also posted a pair of wins over San Diego State (14-6, 9-6) on Feb. 20. The lone blemish for the Anteaters was a 12-7 setback at No. 1 USC on Feb. 13.
MILLER NAMED MPSF/KAP7 NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
UCLA'sย Cassidy Millerย (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcosย HS) was named the MPSF/KAP7 Newcomer of the Week as announced by the league office on Feb. 16.ย Playing in her first collegiate game, the true freshman attacker led all scorers with an MPSF season-high-tying five goals (on six shots) in the Bruins' 19-10 season-opening win at No. 11 Fresno State (2-1) on Feb. 14.ย She also led the team in total points (five) and drew two exclusions and had one steal against the Bulldogs.ย She scored the first two goals of the game for UCLA, the first on a penalty shot and the second on a power play in the first period. She added two more power play goals in the second period. Her fifth goal came at even strength and gave UCLA a 12-5 advantage at the 6:32 mark of the third period.ย This is the first career MPSF honor for Miller.
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
All six of UCLA's 2020 ACWPC All-Americans return for the 2021 season. First-team selection sophomoreย Abbi Hillย headlines the group. Two-time All-American and second-teamerย junior Val Ayalaย returns as does four Bruins that earned honorable mention accolades for the first time in their careers. That group includes redshirt sophomoreย Georgia Phillips, seniorย Brooke Maxson, and juniorsย Katrina Drakeย andย Ava Johnson.
RETURNING ALL-MPSF SELECTIONS
All five players that earned All-MPSF plaudits in 2020 as well as the three Bruins on the All-Newcomer team are also back for the 2021 campaign. Sophomore Abbi Hill and junior Val Ayalaย were both named first team All-MPSFย last year while redshirt sophomore Georgia Phillipsย received second team honors. Junior Katrina Drake and senior Brooke Maxson were both named honorable mention. Three of the seven members on the MPSF All-Newcomer Team were Bruins, which included Hill and Phillips as well as attackerย Hannah Palmer.
ย
TENDING GOAL
The Bruins are fortunate to have four goalkeepers on the 2021 roster, led by senior Jahmea Bent. The Bruins also return redshirt sophomore Georgia Phillips and sophomore Quinn Winter. UCLA welcomes in freshman Sydney Chiang (Temple City, Calif./Temple City HS).
ย
CALIFORNIA RAISED
For the second-consecutive season, the UCLA women's water polo active roster is completely made up of student-athletes that are from the state of California (27).
WRIGHT ON DECK
Adam Wright is in his fourth season as UCLA's head women's water polo coach in 2021 with an overall record of 67-17 (.798) and an MPSF mark of 8-5 (.615).ย On July 20, 2017, then-UCLA Director of Athletics, Dan Guerrero, announced that Wrightย would guide both the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams.
ย
RECAPPING 2020
Overall Record: 19-2 |ย Final Ranking: 2nd (tied) | NCAA Finish: n/aย |ย MPSFย Tournament Finish: n/a
UCLA finished the season at 19-2 overall and 2-0 in the MPSF in the COVID-shortened season of 2020 in head coach Adam Wright's third season at the helm of the program. The Bruins went undefeated at the Michigan Invitational (4-0) and won the Triton Invitational with a 7-5 win over No. 1 USC in the championship game (Feb. 9). Freshmanย Abbi Hillย headlined the list of Bruin selections with the lone First-Team accolades. Sophomoreย Val Ayalaย earned her second straight All-America recognition as she was named to the Second Team after earning Honorable Mention plaudits last year. Four Bruins earned Honorable Mention All-America accolades for the first time in their careers. That group included redshirt freshmanย Georgia Phillips, seniorย Brooke Maxson, and sophomoresย Katrina Drakeย andย Ava Johnson. Hill and Ayalaย were both named first team All-MPSF while Phillipsย received second team honors. Drake and Maxson were both named honorable mention. Three of the seven members on the MPSF All-Newcomer Team were Bruins, which included Hill and Phillips as well as Bruin freshman attackerย Hannah Palmer. Additionally, eight student-athletes were named to the MPSF All-Academic team and for the third-straightย season, a total of 12 Bruins claimed ACWPC All-Academic honors.
UCLA IN THEย CWPA POLL
The Bruins are currently ranked third in the 2021 CWPAย National Women's Varsity Top 25 Poll (93 points), released on Feb. 24.
ย
LOS ANGELES โ No. 3 UCLA (1-0, 0-0 MPSF) visits No. 5 UC Irvine (4-1) on Friday, Feb. 26 at 3:00 p.m. PT at UCI's Anteater Aquatics Complex. UC Irvineย will provide a live stream and live stats for the game against the Bruins (links below).
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Friday, Feb. 26 (Anteater Aquatics Complex)
3:00 PM PT โ No. 3 UCLA at No. 5 UC Irvineย LIVE STATSย |ย LIVE STREAM
SERIES HISTORY
This is the 30th meeting between UCLA and UC Irvineย with the Bruins winning the previous 29 contests. The Bruins were slated to play at UC Irvine on March 13, 2020, but COVID-19 shut the season down on Mar. 12. UCLA played the Anteaters three times during the 2019 season, sweeping the Anteaters, posting wins by scores of 10-6, 11-6, and 13-10 in overtime.
SCOUTING THE ANTEATERS
UC Irvine (4-1) is already out to a hot start in 2021, defeating California Baptist, 11-5, and 16-3, on Feb. 6. UCI also posted a pair of wins over San Diego State (14-6, 9-6) on Feb. 20. The lone blemish for the Anteaters was a 12-7 setback at No. 1 USC on Feb. 13.
MILLER NAMED MPSF/KAP7 NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
UCLA'sย Cassidy Millerย (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcosย HS) was named the MPSF/KAP7 Newcomer of the Week as announced by the league office on Feb. 16.ย Playing in her first collegiate game, the true freshman attacker led all scorers with an MPSF season-high-tying five goals (on six shots) in the Bruins' 19-10 season-opening win at No. 11 Fresno State (2-1) on Feb. 14.ย She also led the team in total points (five) and drew two exclusions and had one steal against the Bulldogs.ย She scored the first two goals of the game for UCLA, the first on a penalty shot and the second on a power play in the first period. She added two more power play goals in the second period. Her fifth goal came at even strength and gave UCLA a 12-5 advantage at the 6:32 mark of the third period.ย This is the first career MPSF honor for Miller.
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
All six of UCLA's 2020 ACWPC All-Americans return for the 2021 season. First-team selection sophomoreย Abbi Hillย headlines the group. Two-time All-American and second-teamerย junior Val Ayalaย returns as does four Bruins that earned honorable mention accolades for the first time in their careers. That group includes redshirt sophomoreย Georgia Phillips, seniorย Brooke Maxson, and juniorsย Katrina Drakeย andย Ava Johnson.
RETURNING ALL-MPSF SELECTIONS
All five players that earned All-MPSF plaudits in 2020 as well as the three Bruins on the All-Newcomer team are also back for the 2021 campaign. Sophomore Abbi Hill and junior Val Ayalaย were both named first team All-MPSFย last year while redshirt sophomore Georgia Phillipsย received second team honors. Junior Katrina Drake and senior Brooke Maxson were both named honorable mention. Three of the seven members on the MPSF All-Newcomer Team were Bruins, which included Hill and Phillips as well as attackerย Hannah Palmer.
ย
TENDING GOAL
The Bruins are fortunate to have four goalkeepers on the 2021 roster, led by senior Jahmea Bent. The Bruins also return redshirt sophomore Georgia Phillips and sophomore Quinn Winter. UCLA welcomes in freshman Sydney Chiang (Temple City, Calif./Temple City HS).
ย
CALIFORNIA RAISED
For the second-consecutive season, the UCLA women's water polo active roster is completely made up of student-athletes that are from the state of California (27).
WRIGHT ON DECK
Adam Wright is in his fourth season as UCLA's head women's water polo coach in 2021 with an overall record of 67-17 (.798) and an MPSF mark of 8-5 (.615).ย On July 20, 2017, then-UCLA Director of Athletics, Dan Guerrero, announced that Wrightย would guide both the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams.
ย
RECAPPING 2020
Overall Record: 19-2 |ย Final Ranking: 2nd (tied) | NCAA Finish: n/aย |ย MPSFย Tournament Finish: n/a
UCLA finished the season at 19-2 overall and 2-0 in the MPSF in the COVID-shortened season of 2020 in head coach Adam Wright's third season at the helm of the program. The Bruins went undefeated at the Michigan Invitational (4-0) and won the Triton Invitational with a 7-5 win over No. 1 USC in the championship game (Feb. 9). Freshmanย Abbi Hillย headlined the list of Bruin selections with the lone First-Team accolades. Sophomoreย Val Ayalaย earned her second straight All-America recognition as she was named to the Second Team after earning Honorable Mention plaudits last year. Four Bruins earned Honorable Mention All-America accolades for the first time in their careers. That group included redshirt freshmanย Georgia Phillips, seniorย Brooke Maxson, and sophomoresย Katrina Drakeย andย Ava Johnson. Hill and Ayalaย were both named first team All-MPSF while Phillipsย received second team honors. Drake and Maxson were both named honorable mention. Three of the seven members on the MPSF All-Newcomer Team were Bruins, which included Hill and Phillips as well as Bruin freshman attackerย Hannah Palmer. Additionally, eight student-athletes were named to the MPSF All-Academic team and for the third-straightย season, a total of 12 Bruins claimed ACWPC All-Academic honors.
UCLA IN THEย CWPA POLL
The Bruins are currently ranked third in the 2021 CWPAย National Women's Varsity Top 25 Poll (93 points), released on Feb. 24.
ย
ย 2021 WOMEN'S VARSITY TOP 25 (WEEK 3 - FEB. 24) |
|||
| ย Rank | ย Team | ย Week Two Poll | ย Points |
| ย 1 | ย USC | ย 1 | ย 98 |
| ย 2 | ย Stanford | ย 2 | ย 97 |
| ย 3 | ย UCLA | ย 3 | ย 93 |
| ย 4 | ย Arizona State | ย 5 | ย 85 |
| ย 5 | ย UC Irvine | ย 4 | ย 84 |
| ย 6 | ย Michigan | ย 6 (T) | ย 78 |
| ย 7 | ย Hawai'i | ย 6 (T) | ย 77 |
| ย 8 | ย California | ย 8 | ย 75 |
| ย 9 | ย UC Santa Barbara | ย 9 | ย 68 |
| ย 10 | ย UC San Diego | ย 10 | ย 62 |
| ย 11 | ย Fresno State | ย 11 | ย 61 |
| ย 12 | ย UC Davis | ย 14 (T) | ย 52 |
| ย 13 | ย Indiana | ย 13 | ย 51 |
| ย 14 | ย Loyola Marymount | ย 12 | ย 48 |
| ย 15 | ย Long Beach State | ย 14 (T) | ย 46 |
| ย 16 | ย San Jose State | ย 16 | ย 39 |
| ย 17 (T) | ย San Diego State | ย 17 | ย 36 |
| ย 17 (T) | ย Pacific | ย 18 | ย 36 |
| ย 19 | ย Marist | ย 21 | ย 26 |
| ย 20 | ย Bucknell | ย 20 | ย 24 |
| ย 21 | ย California Baptist University | ย 22 | ย 22 |
| ย 22 | ย Azusa Pacific | ย 24 (T) | ย 16 |
| ย 23 | ย Iona | ย 24 (T) | ย 9 |
| ย 24 | ย Santa Clara | ย NR | ย 8 |
| ย 25 | ย Salem | ย NR | ย 6 |
| ย RV | ย Saint Francis | ย RV | ย 4 |
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water Polo
UTL
/ Women's Water PoloUTL
/ Women's Water Polo
CTR
/ Women's Water Polo
DEF
/ Women's Water PoloDEF
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
ATK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
/ Women's Water PoloGK
/ Women's Water Polo
GK
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