When the No. 1 UCLA women’s water polo team squares off
against No. 9 UCSB at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center on Saturday,
it will mark their last game of the season.
The Bruins (18-3, 7-2 MPSF) are coming off an impressive win
against Team USA 3-2 in an exhibition of stingy defense against one
of the most potent offensive teams in the world.
Freshman Kelly Rulon led all Bruin scorers with two goals.
UCLA’s freshman class has continued to step up their game all
year long and mesh well with the upperclassmen.
Saturday’s game will be the last home game for many of the
Bruins’ integral players of the past four years. Robin
Beauregard, Maureen Flanagan, Jaime Hipp, Mari Joyce, Jessica
Lopez, Devon McIntyre and Ashley Stochowski will all say farewell
to the blue and gold.
Beauregard and six of her fellow seniors hope to continue their
success as they try to make it 15 wins in a row against an
all-too-familiar conference competitor, UCSB (15-11, 3-5).
So far this season, Beauregard leads the Bruins in steals with
28 and is tied for team highs in assists with Rulon at 25. Hipp,
the team’s goalie, has been outstanding in front of the net
for UCLA with 144 saves on the season.
UCLA will use the UCSB game as a tune-up to sharpen their
offensive and defensive skills before it opens up next Friday at
the MPSF Championships in Stanford.