TEMPE, Ariz.-- Following three-straight road weekends, the fourth-ranked Arizona State water polo team will welcome No. 3 UCLA Saturday afternoon for a top-four MPSF matchup at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. Following three-straight road weekends, the fourth-ranked Arizona State water polo team will welcome No. 3 UCLA to Tempe Saturday afternoon for a top-four MPSF matchup at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. The game, being played in the middle of the 2017 Desert Duel Water Polo tournament, will begin at 1:00 p.m. (PT) and will be live streamed on ASU Live Stream-1.
"It is always nice to play at home," head coach Todd Clapper said. "This year we have traveled a good bit. We wanted to play a lot of games just because we have had a pretty different starting group than last year. We have made a lot of trips and played a lot of games and I think that may have been what has tired us out, but now spirits are high and people are back to being really energetic and enthusiastic about what we are doing everyday."
SCOUTING THE BRUINS:
The third-ranked Bruins have been a force this season, outscoring opponents 288-68 through 18 games this season, a new high for UCLA to this point in the year. The 220-goal difference between UCLA and its opponents is also a new Bruin record, outpacing the 1998 team who carded the next closest margin of 180.
Mackenzie Barr has led the Bruins offensively with 44 goals scored already this season. The senior has scored in nine of her last ten outings, including scoring multiple goals in her last three outings. Barr has scored a season-high four goals on three separate occasions this season, including most recently on April 2, against San Jose State.
In the cage, goalkeeper Carlee Kapana, who shared time in goal with the departed Alex Musselman in 2016, has tallied 143 saves in just under 16 games played this season. In her last outing at the Hawaii Invitational, Kapana let just seven goals past her in 9.61 quarters played, and added 17 saves over her two and a half games played in Honolulu. The sophomore has allowed just six goals in the Bruins' first three MPSF contests, including zero in their conference-opening win over San Jose State.
GREAT WALL OF MIA:
The Sun Devils have made a name for themselves on the defensive end. The Sun Devils have allowed just 140 goals this season through 23 games played. Redshirt junior Mia Rycraw has played a huge part in anchoring the Sun Devil defense. In her 19 quarters played, Rycraw has amassed 163 saves, resulting in an impressive 9.9 saves per game average.
GAME OF GOALS
Assisting the defensive effort for the Sun Devils in 2017, has been the teams ability to score goals in bunches. This season, the Sun Devils have netted at least ten goals in ten different games. So far this season, the Sun Devils have outscored opponents 232-140, netting goals at a 10.08 goals per game average. Through 23 games, five different Sun Devils have reached the 20 goal plateau, with Lena Mihailovic leading the way for ASU with 41 goals already this season.
MILESTONE MINDSET:
Mihailovic, with her team-leading 41 goals this season, is quickly approaching the 100 career-goal mark. The Belgrade, Serbia, native enters this weekend with 96 career goals. Sophomore Maud Koopman has also made a move in 2017, adding 37 goals to her impressive 39 goals from her freshman campaign to bring the sophomore's total career goals to 76.
UPSET STATE OF MIND:
The Sun Devils face another uphill battle this weekend against No. 3 UCLA, but it isn't a position that ASU is a stranger to. In ASU water polo history, the Sun Devils have recorded 41 upset victories, including the team's win in two weeks ago against No. 4 Cal. Of those 41 upsets, 16 of those have come against teams ranked in the top-5, with their last win coming against No, 5 Michigan last season.
"It is always nice to play at home," head coach Todd Clapper said. "This year we have traveled a good bit. We wanted to play a lot of games just because we have had a pretty different starting group than last year. We have made a lot of trips and played a lot of games and I think that may have been what has tired us out, but now spirits are high and people are back to being really energetic and enthusiastic about what we are doing everyday."
SCOUTING THE BRUINS:
The third-ranked Bruins have been a force this season, outscoring opponents 288-68 through 18 games this season, a new high for UCLA to this point in the year. The 220-goal difference between UCLA and its opponents is also a new Bruin record, outpacing the 1998 team who carded the next closest margin of 180.
Mackenzie Barr has led the Bruins offensively with 44 goals scored already this season. The senior has scored in nine of her last ten outings, including scoring multiple goals in her last three outings. Barr has scored a season-high four goals on three separate occasions this season, including most recently on April 2, against San Jose State.
In the cage, goalkeeper Carlee Kapana, who shared time in goal with the departed Alex Musselman in 2016, has tallied 143 saves in just under 16 games played this season. In her last outing at the Hawaii Invitational, Kapana let just seven goals past her in 9.61 quarters played, and added 17 saves over her two and a half games played in Honolulu. The sophomore has allowed just six goals in the Bruins' first three MPSF contests, including zero in their conference-opening win over San Jose State.
GREAT WALL OF MIA:
The Sun Devils have made a name for themselves on the defensive end. The Sun Devils have allowed just 140 goals this season through 23 games played. Redshirt junior Mia Rycraw has played a huge part in anchoring the Sun Devil defense. In her 19 quarters played, Rycraw has amassed 163 saves, resulting in an impressive 9.9 saves per game average.
GAME OF GOALS
Assisting the defensive effort for the Sun Devils in 2017, has been the teams ability to score goals in bunches. This season, the Sun Devils have netted at least ten goals in ten different games. So far this season, the Sun Devils have outscored opponents 232-140, netting goals at a 10.08 goals per game average. Through 23 games, five different Sun Devils have reached the 20 goal plateau, with Lena Mihailovic leading the way for ASU with 41 goals already this season.
MILESTONE MINDSET:
Mihailovic, with her team-leading 41 goals this season, is quickly approaching the 100 career-goal mark. The Belgrade, Serbia, native enters this weekend with 96 career goals. Sophomore Maud Koopman has also made a move in 2017, adding 37 goals to her impressive 39 goals from her freshman campaign to bring the sophomore's total career goals to 76.
UPSET STATE OF MIND:
The Sun Devils face another uphill battle this weekend against No. 3 UCLA, but it isn't a position that ASU is a stranger to. In ASU water polo history, the Sun Devils have recorded 41 upset victories, including the team's win in two weeks ago against No. 4 Cal. Of those 41 upsets, 16 of those have come against teams ranked in the top-5, with their last win coming against No, 5 Michigan last season.