March 17, 2011
• The Schedule
Saturday, March 19, 2011
No. 14 UC Santa Barbara vs. Bucknell, 4 p.m.
At Campus Pool
Sunday, March 20,
2011
No. 14 UC Santa Barbara vs. Iona, 12 p.m.
No. 14 UC Santa Barbara vs. Cal State San Bernardino, 2 p.m.
At Campus Pool
• This Week In Water Polo
The No. 14 UC Santa Barbara women's water polo team returns to
Campus Pool this weekend for the first time since January to host a
trio of non-conference games. The Gauchos will take on Bucknell on
Saturday before facing Iona and Cal State San Bernardino on
Sunday.
• Last Time Out
UCSB split a pair of games last weekend in Los Angeles. After
dropping an 8-3 decision to Loyola Marymount, the Gauchos bounced
back with an 8-5 win later in the day against Occidental. The games
concluded the Gauchos' 12-game road swing; they went 7-5 in those
games.
• For The Record
The Gauchos enter this weekend with a 13-8 overall mark. UCSB has
posted a 3-3 record in home games this year. The Gauchos currently
ranked 14th nationally in the Collegiate Water Polo Association
Poll, down one spot from last week's poll.
• Kulakowski Continues To Roll
Senior Kristin
Kulakowski has led the Gauchos in goals scored in three of
their last four contests. Two weeks ago, she led the team with
eight goals in a doubleheader against St. Francis and La Verne -
including a career-high five goals against the former - and last
Saturday, she posted a team-high two goals in the win over
Occidental. She is currently third on the team and 16th in the Big
West with 22 goals.
• Last Line of Defense
Sophomore goalkeeper Ruth Milne has started
all 21 contests in goal for the Gauchos this season. Milne is
currently averaging 11.4 saves per game, which is tops among Big
West keepers. Her 7.18 goals against average, meanwhile, ranks
third in the league. She has had double-digit saves on 12
occasions, including a season-best 16 against Cal on Feb. 26.
• Nelson Notebook
Senior Kathryn
Nelson continues to lead the Gauchos in goals with her 35 this
season and she is ranked fourth in the Big West Conference. Nelson
has scored in all but four contests this year and has had 12
multiple goal games. She scored a season-high four goals against
Cal State East Bay on Feb. 13. Additionally, she is second on the
team in steals (25) and first in field blocks (8).
• Record Watch
Senior Christie Clark's 26
goals this season have brought her career count to 142, which ranks
fourth on the UCSB career-scoring list. She needs 10 more goals to
match No. 3 Jennifer D'Anna's
career output. Kathryn Nelson (84
goals) and Claire Buchanan
(82 goals) rank 16th and 18th, respectively.
• What's Next?
Following this weekend's pair of games, UCSB will take a week off
of competition before taking on Brown on March 29 in a mid-week
match-up. The Gauchos will open Big West play on April 2 at home
against Pacific and will host their final regular season home game
on April 3 against UC Davis.
• UCSB To Host 2011 Big West
Championship
The 2011 Big West Tournament will be hosted by UCSB this season at
Campus Pool the weekend of April 29 through May 1. This season
marks the first that the conference will have an automatic bid into
the NCAA Tournament, which will be on the line along with the
conference crown.