UCSB Returns Home to Host Trio of Games

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.