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April 27, 2011
Cal State Northridge Aims For Big West Water Polo Tournament Title
April 27, 2011
Northridge, Calif. - The 15th-ranked Cal State Northridge women's water polo team will compete along with the five other league schools this weekend at the third annual Big West Women's Water Polo Tournament (April 29 - May 1) at UC Santa Barbara. First round action begins on Friday with two games (Pacific vs UC Davis at 3:30 p.m.; UCSB vs Long Beach State at 5:15 p.m.).
Because of their second place (3-2) finish during the Big West Conference regular season, the Matadors (21-14) have earned a first round bye. Cal State Northridge will begin action with a semifinal game against either #3 seed UC Santa Barbara (16-11, 3-2 BWC) or #6 Long Beach State (12-16, 1-4 BWC) on Saturday, April 30, at 5:15 p.m. The Gauchos and 49ers meet in a first round game on Friday, April 29 at 5:15 p.m. The other first round game on Friday, April 29, will match #4 seed Pacific (20-11, 2-3 BWC) vs #5 UC Davis (19-11, 1-4 BWC) at 3:30 p.m. The Pacific-UC Davis winner will face regular season champion UC Irvine (19-8, 5-0 BWC) in a semi final game on Saturday, April 30, at 3:30 p.m. ... The championship game is slated for Sunday, May 1, at 2:30 p.m.
For compete information on the Big West Water Polo Tournament, go to www.ucsbgauchos.com
National Notes ...
All six Big West Conference schools who sponsor women's water polo are nationally-ranked, according to the Collegiate Water Polo Association ... Cal State Northridge is ranked 15th ... UC Irvine is 10th, UC Santa Barbara is 14th, Long Beach State is 16th, Pacific is 17th and UC Davis is 18th.
The Big West Women's Water Polo Tournament Saturday, April 30 - Semi Finals Sunday, May 1 - Championship and Consolation Conference Chatter ... Scoring Saga ... Team Totals ... Record Review ... The 2011 Cal State Northridge Water Polo Bios
#12 Geneva Capos, 5-7 Attacker, Freshman, Granite Bay, Ca. #1 Nicole Concialdi, 5-10, Goalkeeper, Senior, Chino Hills, Ca. #9 Whitney Delgado, 5-7, Attacker, Junior, Thousand Oaks, Ca. #4 Melissa Doll, 5-9, Attacker, Freshman, Souderton, Pa. #18 Jessica Goforth, 6-1, Defender, Senior, Visalia, Ca. #7 Alyssa Goldie, 5-9, Attacker, Junior, Riverside, Ca. #17 Hayley Gurriell, 5-4, Attacker, Freshman, San Diego, Ca. #1 Dana Harvey, 5-8, Goalkeeper, Junior, Auckland, New Zealand #17 Jenny Jamison, 5-7, Utility, Freshman, Thousand Oaks, Ca. #6 Leah Janke, 5-7, Attacker, Sophomore, Wildomar, Ca. #5 Lindsy Nelson, 5-9, Attacker, Freshman, Murray, Ut. #15 Carson Nestler, 5-7, Attacker, Freshman, Los Gatos, Ca. #8 Katie Outzen, 5-8, Attacker, Junior, San Mateo, Ca. #19 Heidi Pettinger, 5-9, Attacker, Junior, Petaluma, Ca. #3 Celena Photopulos, 5-3, Attacker, Freshman, Corona, Ca. #2 Bethany Scamara, 5-4, Driver, Senior, Fontana, Ca. #14 Sydney Sonoda, 5-7, Utility, Senior, Murrieta, Ca.
Friday, April 29 - First Round
Match #1 - 3:30 p.m. - #4 seed Pacific (20-11, 2-3 BWC vs #5 seed UC Davis (19-11, 1-4 BWC)
Match #3 - 3:30 p.m. - #1 seed UC Irvine (19-8, 5-0 BWC) vs either #4 seed Pacific or #5 UC Davis
March #4 - 5:15 p.m. - #2 Cal State Northridge (21-14, 3-2 BWC) vs either #3 seed UC Santa Barbara or #6 seed Long Beach State
11:00 a.m. - 5th place match (Match 1 loser vs Match 2 loser)
12:45 p.m. - 3rd place match (Match 3 loser vs Match 4 loser)
2:30 p.m. - 1st place match (Match 3 winner vs Match 4 winner)
Extra motivation will be in plentiful supply for all competitors as the Big West tournament champion will earn the Big West's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships ... The Big West champion receives one of the eight slots for the national tournament, which will be held May 13-15 at the Donald B. Canham Natatorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan ... After fulfilling a two-year waiting period to earn automatic entry to the NCAA Championship, the Big West joins the Collegiate Water Polo Association, Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and Western Water Polo Association as conferences with automatic berths.
Seven CSUN players are scoring in double-figures ... Three of those players are among the Top 5 scorers in the Big West Conference ... Whitney Delgado, who led the conference in scoring last year with a school record 80 goals, is again the conference leader this year with 73 ... Those 73 goals are third-best for a single season in school history, and only seven short of her school record set last year ... Heidi Pettinger is second in the league with 59 goals (#7 for a single season) followed by Sydney Sonoda who is tied for third in the league with 52 goals along with Kathryn Nelson (UCSB), Carmen Eggert (UCD) and Dara Tawarahara (UOP) ... Freshmen Lindsy Nelson and Melissa Doll are among five frosh players in the conference who are among the league leaders in scoring ... Nelson leads CSUN freshman with 40 goals while Doll has 32 goals ... UC Irvine freshman Danielle Warde has 45 goals to lead conference freshman ... Dana Harvey is third in the Big West Conference at 9.95 saves per game (184 saves, #9 for a single season in school history) ... Nicole Concialdi is sixth with 8.55 saves per game (141 saves) ... The conference leader is UCSB's Ruth Milne with 282 saves (11.24 spg).
CSUN's 348 goals are second-best for a single season in school history ... The school record is 371 goals set in 2010 ... The 317 assists are second-best in school history ... The 271 steals are ninth-best for a single season ... The 325 saves are fourth-best in school history.
Junior Whitney Delgado has 188 career goals, second-best in school history and only 34 goals short of the CSUN school record held by Allison Brookes (222 goals, 2005-08) ... Delgado has 73 goals this year, third-best for a single season in school history ... Delgado holds the school record with 80 goals set last year ... Delgado also has 89 career assists, ninth-best in school history ... Sydney Sonoda (2008-) has 142 career goals, fifth-best in school history while Heidi Pettinger (2009-) has 100 career goals, ninth-best in school history ... Sonoda has 101 career steals while Pettinger has 97 career steals, eighth and tenth, respectively, in the school record book.
Has played in ten games with one goal, three assists and one steal.
Has played in 19 games with 141 saves (8.55 spg, #6 in the BWC) ... Has recorded ten or more saves in three games including a season-high 13 saves against Cal State Bakersfield (2/19/11) and 12 against UCLA (1/23/11) ... Her 268 career saves is fourth-best in CSUN history.
One of the great water polo players in Cal State Northridge history ... In only 2-plus seasons at Cal State Northridge, Delgado has scored 188 career goals (35 goals in 2009, school record 80 goals in 2010, 73 goals in 2011), second-best in school history ... Only school record holder Allison Brookes (222 goals, 2005-08) stands ahead of Delgado ... Delgado is not only the team leader with 73 goals, but also tops in the Big West Conference and fourth-best for a single season in school history ... Delgado scored at least one goal in 31 of the team's 35 games ... In the last two seasons, Delgado has scored two or more goals in 51 games ... Has scored two or more goals in 21 games this season ... Scored a career-high seven goals against Cal State Bakersfield (2/12/11) ... Has dished out 89 career assists, ninth-best in school history ... Fourth on the team in steals (28) and assists (39).
The freshman has scored 32 goals this year, fifth-best on the team ... Has scored a season-high two goals in eight games ... Has collected 29 steals (#3 on the team) and 23 assists (#6 on the team).
Is enjoying her best season with 24 goals (#7 on the team), 36 steals (#2 on the team) and 21 assists (#8 on the team) ... Scored a career-high three goals in the 14-13 victory over UC Davis (4/2/11).
Has scored six goals along with ten steals and five assists ... Scored a career-high two goals against Concordia (2/3/11).
Has played in seven games ... Scored her first collegiate goal against Cal Baptist (4/9/11).
Recently named Big West Water Polo Tri-Player of the Week for her 17 saves in CSUN's 8-7 victory over UC Santa Barbara (4/9/11) ... Has played in 21 games with 184 saves (9.95 spg, #3 in the BWC) ... Has tallied ten or more saves in nine games including a season-high 21 saves against Indiana (1/22/11) ... Her 184 saves this year are ninth-best for a single season in school history.
Has scored eight goals in 21 games ... Scored a season-high three goals against La Verne (3/6/11) ... Scored two goals against Cal State Bakersfield (2/19/11).
Has tallied 26 goals (#6 on the team) along with 46 assists (#3 on the team) ... Scored a season-high four goals in the 11-9 victory over Pacific (4/3/11).
The freshman is among the team's leading scorers 40 goals (#4 on the team, #13 in the Big West Conference) ... Has scored at least two goals in eleven games including a season-high five goals against Cal State Bakersfield (2/19/11) ... Tops on the team in assists (48) ... Her 48 assists are fifth-best for a single season in school history ... Also has 24 steals.
Has played in eight games with one goal, two assists and two steals.
Has played in 13 games with three goals, three assists and three steals.
The team's #2 scorer with 59 goals, second-best in the Big West Conference and seventh-best for a single season in school history ... Has scored at least one goal in 28 of the team's 35 games ... Has scored two or more goals in 17 games including a career-high five goals in the 10-9 victory over Cal State San Bernardino (4/3/11) ... Has scored four goals in three games ... Has scored 100 career goals (12 goals in 2009, 29 goals in 2010, 59 goals in 2011), ninth-best in school history ... Tops on the team in field blocks (20) and steals (40) and second-best in assists (47) ... Earlier this year gained Big West Player of the Week for her eleven goals, four assists, two steals, one field block and eleven ejections drawn in wins over UC Davis (14-13, 4/2/11), Pacific (11-9, 4/3/11) and Cal State San Bernardino (10-9, 4/3/11)
Has tallied 23 assists (#6 on the team) and 21 steals (#6 on the team) along with five goals.
Has scored seven goals along with six steals and three assists in 33 games ... Scored a season-high two goals against Cal Baptist (4/9/11).
Third on the team in scoring with 52 goals (#5 in the Big West Conference) ... Has scored two or more goals in 15 games ... Scored a career-high five goals against Hartwick (2/13/11) ... Has tallied 142 career goals (10 goals in 2008, 37 goals in 2009, 43 goals in 2010, 52 goals in 2011), fifth-best in school history ... Her 107 ejections drawn is tops on the team ... Her 26 steals this year are fifth-best on the team ... Has 101 career steals, eighth-best in school history ... Owns 27 assists, sixth-best on the team.
