#GCCWaterPolo - The march is on to the 2023 Golden Coast Conference Championships, and the second week of conference play features six league match-ups. It is week nine of the collegiate water polo season and 12 games are on tap.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Concordia goalie Tatiana Cava led the Golden Eagles to wins in all six of their games last week and is the GCC Player of the Week for Mar. 9. Cava had 60 saves on the week, including 14 in the victory over Mount Saint Mary’s. She had 12 in the win over CSU Monterey Bay, 10 against CSU East Bay and eight in the GCC win over Santa Clara. CUI won all 4 games at the Convergence Tournament.
Mar. 9 - Tatiana Cava, Concordia
Mar. 2 - Mollie Williams, LMU
Feb. 23 - Jillian Schultz, Fresno State
Feb. 16 - Hila Futorian, Pacific
Feb. 9 - Hailey Andress, Fresno State
Feb. 2 -Dora Alaksza, Pacific
Jan. 26 -Ruth Arino Ruiz, LMU
Jan. 19 -Jamie Hutton, CBU
STORYLINES
STREAKS: Concordia enters the week the hottest team in the GCC, winning their last six and 11 of the last 12. That streak will come to a test on the road this weekend in GCC play as they face No. 8 Fresno State and Azusa Pacific. Speaking of Fresno State, they have won five straight. Matching that is No. 14 Pacific.
STRONG PERFORMANCES:
- Brooke Ochoa led Fresno State to a pair of road wins in GCC action last week. She totaled a team-leading eight goals in games over California Baptist and San Diego State. Tallied five goals against CBU and added three goals and an assist vs. SDSU. She leads team with 40 goals and 51 points and Fresno State has won five straight and has not lost a GCC game since March 2021.
- Ruth Arino Ruiz helped lead LMU to a win in the first conference game of the season on Friday. Arino Ruiz scored a game-high six goals on nine shots and added three assists for nine total points. Arino Ruiz scored three first quarter goals to set the tone and give LMU a lead that would never be surrendered. Her three assists are tied for the lead in GCC games.
- Freshman Dora Alaksza led Pacific to four wins at the Claremont Convergence last weekend, running Pacific’s winning streak to five. Over the weekend she had 13 goals in wins over No. 22 LIU, Fresno Pacific, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Mount Saint Mary's, scoring seven goals in the first two games and six in the second two.
WEEK NINE: It’s week two of conference play. Take a look at the conference match-ups for this week:
- Mar. 10 - No. 14 Pacific at California Baptist - 1 pm | Live Stats
- Mar. 10 - Santa Clara at No. 18 LMU - 4 pm | Live Stats
- Mar. 11 - Santa Clara at Azusa Pacific - 11 am | Live Stats
- Mar. 11 - No. 14 Pacific at No. 18 LMU - 11 am | Live Stats
- Mar. 11 - Concordia at No. 8 Fresno State - 12 pm | Live Stats
- Mar. 14 - Concordia at Azusa Pacific - 3 pm | Live Stats
The conference games highlight a 12-game week in the GCC. San Diego State will host the Aztec Invitational from Friday through Sunday, playing five games against Siena, Villanova, St. Francis, No. 13 Princeton, and Westcliff. The other non-conference game is Wednesday, Mar. 15 as CBU hosts Marist. For full schedule, visit the GCC schedule page here >>
TEAM SNAPSHOTS
Azusa Pacific
Azusa Pacific has won 10 of their last 12 games. They are 11-7 overall on the season and 0-1 in GCC play after falling to No. 17 LMU, 20-12. They rebounded with a pair of wins at the Claremont Convergence, defeating CSU East Bay (12-11) and McKendree (17-8). They host a pair of GCC games this week as they face Santa Clara on Mar. 11 and then Concordia on Mar. 14. Madeline Schultz leads the league with 54 goals and 61 total points. Montana White is seventh in the GCC with 35 goals.
California Baptist
The Lancers are 13-11 overall and 0-1 in GCC play on the season. They fell to No. 8 Fresno State, 11-6, in their GCC opener. It was their only game last week. They host No. 14 Pacific on Mar. 10 in GCC play and then Marist on Wednesday, Mar. 15. Jamie Hutton is sixth in the GCC with 38 goals. Dora Lehoczky and Hutton are tied for third with 17 assists each.
Concordia
Concordia has won six straight and 11 of their last 12 under first-year head coach Casey Greenawalt. They are 12-7 overall (1-0 GCC) and earned six wins last week. They defeated Santa Clara in GCC play, 11-8, then earned wins over McKendree (11-7), Occidental (22-5), CSU East Bay (14-11), Mount St. Mary’s (10-4) and CSU Monterey Bay (9-7). Madison Ravelo had 18 goals in the six games and is second in the GCC with 50 goals. Goalie Tatiana Cava leads the league with 110 saves and is second with a .462 save percentage.
Fresno State
Fresno State enters the week ranked eighth in the nation riding a five game winning streak. They are 9-7 overall and 2-0 in GCC play, earning a pair of conference wins on the road last week, defeating CBU (11-6) and No. 23 San Diego State (13-5). Brooke Ochoa is tied for fourth in the GCC with 40 goals on the season. She is fourth with 51 total points. Goalie Paula Nieto Jasney is second with 94 saves and first in both save percentage (.472) and goals-against average (8.66).
Loyola Marymount
LMU is ranked 18th in the nation entering week nine, having defeated Azusa Pacific, 20-12, last week in their only game. They are 6-10 overall and 1-0 in the GCC. They host two more GCC games this weekend, facing Santa Clara on Friday and they No. 14 Pacific on Saturday. Marialena Seletopoulou is tied for fourth within the GCC with 40 goals. Ruth Arino Ruiz is fifth with 16 assists.
Pacific
Pacific is ranked 14th in the nation and sits at 13-4 overall. They earned four wins at the Claremont Convergence last week, defeating #22 LIU (21-11), Fresno Pacific (15-4), Claremont Mudd-Scripps (15-9), and Mount St. Mary’s (13-3). They have won five straight and travel to Southern California to open GCC play. The are at CBU on Friday and No. 18 LMU on Saturday. Dora Alaksza is third in the GCC with 46 goals and fifth with 49 points.
San Diego State
San Diego State is ranked No. 22 in the national poll this week. They are 3-11 and 0-1 on the season. They fell at home to No. 8 Fresno State on Saturday, 13-5, and then to No. 22 LIU on Tuesday, 9-8. They host their own Aztec Invitational this weekend, taking on Siena and Villanova on Friday, St. Francis and No. 13 Princeton on Saturday, and Westcliff on Sunday. Claudia Valdes leads the team with 30 points, scoring 17 goals with 13 assists. Amanda Legaspi leads the team with 18 goals.
Santa Clara
Santa Clara is 8-10 overall and 0-1 on GCC play. They fell to Concordia in GCC play on Thursday, 11-8, and then split four games at the Claremont Convergence. They defeated CSU Fullerton (17-5) and Westcliff (21-8), and fell to Villanova (9-6) and No. 22 LIU (16-12). They are at LMU on Friday and Azusa Pacific on Saturday. Maddie Clough and Laren Voss are ranked first and second in the GCC, respectively, with 26 and 21 assists. Kate Rodman leads the league with 12 field blocks.
CONFERENCE LEADERS
GOALS
| ## |
NAME |
TEAM |
G |
| 1. |
Madeline Schultz |
APU |
54 |
| 2. |
Madison Ravelo |
CUI |
50 |
| 3. |
Dora Alaksza |
UOP |
46 |
| 4. |
Marialena Seletopoulou |
LMU |
40 |
|
Brooke Ochoa |
FS |
40 |
ASSISTS
| ## |
NAME |
TEAM |
A |
| 1. |
Maddie Clough |
SCU |
26 |
| 2. |
Lauren Voss |
SCU |
21 |
| 3. |
Jamie Hutton |
CBU |
17 |
|
Dora Lehoczky |
CBU |
17 |
| 5. |
Ruth Arino Ruiz |
LMU |
16 |
POINTS
| ## |
NAME |
TEAM |
PTS |
| 1. |
Madeline Schultz |
APU |
61 |
| 2. |
Madison Ravelo |
CUI |
58 |
| 3. |
Jamie Hutton |
CBU |
55 |
| 4. |
Brooke Ochoa |
FS |
51 |
| 5. |
Dora Alaksza |
UOP |
49 |
STEALS
| ## |
NAME |
TEAM |
STL |
| 1. |
Kyndall Burrell |
CBU |
22 |
| 2. |
Claudia Valdes |
SDSU |
19 |
|
Brooke Ochoa |
FS |
19 |
| 4. |
Melinna Galbraith |
CBU |
18 |
|
Daniela Herrero Miralles |
APU |
18 |
SAVES
| ## |
NAME |
TEAM |
SV |
| 1. |
Tatiana Cava |
CUI |
110 |
| 2. |
Paula Nieto Jasny |
FS |
94 |
| 3. |
Liyara Senadheera |
SCU |
93 |
| 4. |
Tyanna Schneider |
CBU |
90 |
| 5. |
Daniela Herrero Miralles |
APU |
85 |
SAVE PERCENTAGE
| ## |
NAME |
TEAM |
SV |
SVPCT |
| 1. |
Paula Nieto Jasny |
FS |
94 |
.472 |
| 2. |
Tatiana Cava |
CUI |
110 |
.462 |
| 3. |
Tyanna Schneider |
CBU |
90 |
.402 |
| 4. |
Daniela Herrero Miralles |
APU |
85 |
.390 |
| 5. |
Clara Vulpisi |
UOP |
81 |
.375 |
GOALS-AGAINST AVERAGE
| ## |
NAME |
TEAM |
GP |
GAA |
| 1. |
Paula Nieto Jasny |
FS |
15 |
8.66 |
| 2. |
Clara Vulpisi |
UOP |
17 |
9.41 |
| 3. |
Daniela Herrero Miralles |
APU |
15 |
10.41 |
| 4. |
Tatiana Cava |
CUI |
17 |
10.43 |
| 5. |
Tyanna Schneider |
CBU |
15 |
11.91 |
Check out all the
conference and team stats here >>
NATIONAL POLL
The Collegiate Water Polo Association National Coaches' Poll for week eight (Mar. 8) has four GCC teams mentioned. Fresno State leads the way at No. 8. Pacific follows at No. 14. LMU is at No. 18 and San Diego State is at No. 22. Check out the entire poll here >>
2023 CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2023 GCC Women's Championships will be hosted by San Diego State University in San Diego, Calif., on Apr. 28-30. The winner earns the automatic bid to the 2023 National Collegiate Women's Championships. Learn more on the GCC Championships here >>.
GCC CELEBRATES YEAR 10
The Golden Coast Conference celebrates its 10th season with the 2023 collegiate women's water polo season. In 2023, eight institutions will compete within the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The league began in 2014 and in 2016 the league added a men's division with six member institutions. The men's division concluded in 2022 with the six schools joining new leagues. Learn more about the
GCC history here >>
2023 PRESEASON POLL
1. LMU - 48 points (6 first place votes)
2. Fresno State - 41 points (2)
3. Pacific - 40 points
4. San Diego State - 30 points
5. Azusa Pacific - 21 points
6. California Baptist - 20 points
7. Santa Clara - 15 points
8. Concordia - 9 points
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