LA JOLLA, Calif. -The 17th-ranked UC San Diego women's water polo team (13-14) heads to the bay area this week for five games. On Friday, April 9, UCSD takes on Cal State East Bay (20-9) in Hayward. On the weekend, UCSD will participate in the Santa Clara Invitational and take on No. 6 San Jose State (14-10), Sonoma State (5-21), Colorado State (8-14) and No. 3 Cal (21-5). UCSD enters the week having won six consecutive games and 10 of its last 12. The Tritons have defeated their last three ranked opponents including No. 18 Cal State Bakersfield, No. 15 UC Davis and No. 20 Brown.
Cal State East Bay has early season wins over Santa Clara, Cal State Bakersfield and Colorado State. Last week, CSUEB defeated Concordia and Cal State Monterey Bay.
The Pioneers are led by Claire Pierce with 59 goals while Whitney Bell has scored 40 times. Jenna Casady is the team leader with 48 assists and 47 steals. Emily Hucal has recorded 80 saves this season while Lauren Merrill has 52 saves.
San Jose State lost 11-10 to Loyola Marymount and 12-5 to UCLA last week. SJSU has several wins over ranked opponents, including LMU, Arizona State, UC Irvine and San Diego State.
Adriana Vogt leads the Spartans with 47 goals while Dani Curran has scored 33 times. Meagan Minson has started 21 games in goal and has 178 saves.
Sonoma State was last in action at the Roadrunner Invitational. The Seawolves defeated Cal State San Bernardino and Chapman, but fell to Brown and UC San Diego.
SSU is led by Laurel Stricklin with 57 goals while Holly Armijo has scored 32 times. Armijo is also the team leader with 24 steals and Emily Pearce and Brooke Smith have 19 assists apiece. Gina Uliana has started each game in goal and has 217 saves.
Colorado State was last in action in Los Angeles, for four games. CSU lost to LMU 13-5, defeated Chapman 15-4, defeated Cal State San Bernardino 9-3 and lost to San Diego State 11-1.
The Rams are led by Kallie Berry with 29 goals while Sarah Ostling has scored 28 times. Berry and Ali Pavlik lead CSU with 16 assists while Orsi Nadasdy has a team-high 38 steals. Melissa Fisher has been the primary goalkeeper with 173 saves.
Cal's only losses this season have come against USC, UCLA and Stanford. The Bears have won seven consecutive times, including a 14-11 win last week at Arizona State.
Cal is led by Emily Csikos with 54 goals, while Camile Hewko has scored 32 times and Stephanie Schnugg has added 30 goals. Stephanie Peckham is the goalkeeper with 222 saves.
UCSD enters the week having won six straight, including last week when it defeated Cal State San Bernardino 6-3 and No. 20 Brown 11-7.
Last season, the Tritons went 2-2 at the Santa Clara Invitational, losing to San Jose State 17-11, defeating Sonoma State 7-6, defeating Colorado State 8-7 and falling to Santa Clara 10-7.
Kirsten Bates leads the Tritons with 49 goals while Audra Bloom has netted 38 goals. Hanalei Crowell has a team-high 37 assists while Audra Bloom leads UCSD with 49 steals. Markayla Quane has a team-high 246 saves in goal.
