March 7, 2013

#15 CSUN Hosts #13 UC Davis, #7 San Diego State in Big West Conference Openers

Northridge, Calif. – Two nationally-ranked teams will invade Matador Pool to face 15th-ranked Cal State Northridge in Big West Conference water polo play this weekend.

On Friday, March 8, the Matadors host 13th-ranked UC Davis in a 3:00 pm game. Then on Saturday, March 9, at Noon, CSUN hosts seventh-ranked San Diego State.

The Matadors will be facing the 1-2 scorers in the Big West Conference this weekend. Amber Pezzolla of San Diego State has a league leading 40 goals while UCD's Carmen Eggert has 36 goals, second-best in the Big West Conference.

CSUN's top three scorers are among the Top 10 scorers in the Big West Conference. Lindsy Nelson is fourth in the conference with a team-leading 34 goals (2.00 gpg) followed by Jenny Jamison and Marisa Young with 27 and 26 goals, respectively. Jamison and  Young's stats are eighth and ninth, respectively, in the league.

Kiernan Davis has 134 saves (8.77 spg), fourth-best in the conference.

UC Davis is ranked 13th in the nation with a 10-7 record. The Aggies have won three games in a row, and five of their last six games. Carmen Eggert and Jessica Dunn are the team's leading scorers with 36 and 32 goals, respectively. Eggert is second in the conference in scoring while Dunn is sixth. Dunn is UCD's second all-time scorer with 180 goals. Jillian Wilding and Riane Woods are the team's goalkeepers with 67 and 66 saves, respectively.

   San Diego State is 10-6 overall. The Aztecs, ranked seventh in the nation, will open their Big West Conference season at UC Irvine on Friday. Amber Pezzolla is the league's leading scorer with 40 goals. Rachel Mitchell is the league's leading goalkeeper with 202 saves, an average of 12.63 saves per game.

Matador Memo …
Is the Big West Conference highly competitive this year? … You betcha … All eight water polo teams in the conference are nationally-ranked … That includes #6 UC Irvine, #7 San Diego State, #8 Hawaii, #9 Long Beach State, #13 UC Davis, #15 (T) Cal State Northridge, #15 (T) UC Santa Barbara and #20 Pacific … CSUN started the year ranked 16th in the nation followed by three straight weeks ranked 17th … For the last four weeks, CSUN has been ranked 15th nationally … UC Irvine will host this season's Big West Tournament on April 26-28.

Record Review …
Seventeen games into the 2013 season and already several Matador players are attacking the CSUN record book … Lindsy Nelson (2001-13) has 126 career goals, eighth-best in school history … Just ahead are Heidi Pettinger (2009-12) in sixth place with 132 goals, and Erica Bonetti (2003-06) in seventh place with 131 goals … Jenny Jamison (2011-13) has 103 career goals, and is approaching the tenth position in the record book held by Christine Cruz (2005-07) with 104 goals … Pam Barba (2002-04) resides in ninth place with 105 career goals … Lindsy Nelson (2011-13) has 126 assists for fifth place in the school record book, only three short of catching Kristin McLaughlin (20078-10) in fourth place with 129 assists … Leah Janke (2010-13) has 108 career assists, seventh-best in school history … Kelcie Ferreira (2012-13) has 107 steals, ninth-best in school history … Melissa Doll (2011-13) has 97 steals, only four short of catching Graziella Caredda (2003-06) and Sydney Sonoda (2008-11) with 101 career steals … Kiernan Davis (2012-13) has 231 career saves, sixth-best in school history.

THE 2013 CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE WATER POLO ROSTER

#1 Natalie Averell, Goalkeeper, Freshman, Poway, Ca.
Has appeared in seven games with a 8.98 saves per game average … Has started one game with six saves against Chapman (3/2/13).

#1 Megan Kittlitz, Goalkeeper, Freshman, Clovis, Ca.
Has played one game with two saves against Chapman (3/2/13).

#1 Kiernan Davis, Goalkeeper, Sophomore, Redlands, Ca.
CSUN's starting goalkeeper … Has started 16 games with 134 saves (#4 in the BWC) … Davis is averaging 8.77 saves per game … Has collected ten saves or more in six games … That includes season-high 13 saves against UC San Diego (1/26/13) … Has 231 career saves, sixth-best in school history.

#2 Kelcie Ferreira, Defender, Sophomore, Trinidad & Tobago
The team leader in assists (27) and field blocks (21) … Second on the squad with 28 steals … Collected a season-high five steals against Chapman (3/2/13) … Had three steals against UC San Diego (1/26/13) … Dished out a season-high five assists against Occidental (3/2/13) … Dished out three assists and three steals against Pomona-Pitzer (1/27/13) … Also tallied three assists vs Cal State San Bernardino (2/2/13) and Chapman (3/2/13) … Has scored 18 goals (#3 on the team) … Has scored two or more goals in five games … Scored a season-high three goals against Occidental (3/2/13) … Has collected 107 career steals, ninth-best in school history.

#4 Hayley Gurriell, Attacker, Junior, San Diego, Ca.
Has scored two goals … Has played in all 17 games.

#5 Lindsy Nelson, Attacker, Junior, Murray, Ut.
CSUN's top scorer with 34 goals (#4 in the BWC) … That includes a career game against Sonoma State when she scored seven goals, breaking her personal best of five goals last year against Bucknell, Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State San Bernardino … Nelson's seven goals tied the school record for single game goals which had been set by Chari Christopher against Wagner (3/13/03) and Whitney Delgado against Cal State Bakersfield … Has scored two or more goals in eight games … The team leader in shooting percentage (.435) … Has dished out 25 assists, second-best on the Matadors … Dished out three assists against Concordia (2/2/13), Long Beach State (2/10/13), Cal State Bakersfield (2/24/13) and Occidental (3/2/13) … Collected three steals against Sonoma State (1/27/13) … Has 126 career goals, eighth-best in school history … Nelson's 126 assists are fifth-best in school history.

#6 Marisa Young, Center, Sophomore, Fountain Valley, Ca.
Has scored 26 goals, second-best on the Matadors and ninth-best in the conference … Scored a season-high five goals against Occidental (3/2/13) … Has scored two or more goals in seven games … A shooting percentage of .333 … Has collected 17 field blocks, second-best on the team … Collected three steals against UC San Diego (1/26/13) and Concordia (2/2/13) … Collected three assists against Sonoma State (1/27/13) and UC San Diego (2/10/13).

#7 Molly Henehan, Center, Junior, Corona, Ca.
Has scored 16 goals, fifth-best on the team … Scored a season-high three goals against Chapman (3/2/13).

#8 Celena Photopulos, Attacker, Junior, Corona, Ca.
Has scored eleven goals with a shooting percentage of .333 … Scored a season-high three goals against Concordia (2/2/13) … Among the team leaders in assists (13) … Tallied a season-high five steals against top-ranked USC (2/9/13) … Tallied a season-high four steals against Cal State San Bernardino (2/2/13) and Chapman (3/2/13) … Had three steals against UC San Diego (1/26/13) and Hartwick (2/9/13).


#9 Leah Janke, Attacker, Junior, Canyon Lake, Ca.
Has scored 15 goals in 167 games with a .500 shooting percentage … Scored a season-high four goals against Pomona-Pitzer (1/27/13) … Scored three goals against UC San Diego (2/10/13) … Among the team leaders in assists (17) … Dished out a season-high four assists against Cal State San Bernardino (2/2/13) … Had three assists against Pomona-Pitzer (1/27/13) and Concordia (2/2/13) … Collected three steals against Cal State Bakersfield (2/24/13) … Has collected 108 assists, seventh-best in school history.

#10 Katie Kammer, Attacker, Sophomore, Fullerton, Ca.
Has scored 14 goals with a shooting percentage of .500 … Has scored two goals in three games.

#12 Taryn Kamimoto, Attacker, Freshman, Manhattan Beach, Ca.
Has played in nine games.

#13 Melissa Doll, Utility, Junior, Souderton, Pa.
Has dished out 14 assists along with eleven goals … Scored two goals against Cal State San Bernardino (2/2/13) and Hartwick (2/9/13) … Has collected 20 steals (#3 on the team) and 14 assists.

#15 Chelsea Yox, Utility, RS Sophomore, Whittier, Ca.
Has not seen any playing time in 2013.

#17 Jenny Jamison, Utility, Junior, Thousand Oaks, Ca.
Has scored 27 goals, second-best on the Matadors and eighth-best in the conference … Has tallied a shooting percentage of .420 … Has scored two or more goals in eight games … Scored a season-high four goals in games against UC San Diego (1/26/13), Cal State San Bernardino (2/2/13) and Chapman (3/2/13) … Has collected 17 steals … Has 103 career goals, eleventh-best in school history.

#18 Taitum Herrington, Attacker, Freshman, Lodi, Ca.
Has played in all 17 games … Has scored six goals … Scored two goals against Loyola Marymount (2/23/13).