UCLA women’s water polo heads to Triton Invitational needing four wins against lower-ranked teams to hold on to No. 3 national ranking
WOMEN’S WATER POLO
Triton Invitational
Saturday and Sunday
La Jolla, Calif.
No TV
After a bump in the national rankings, UCLA heads to the 16-team Triton Invitational as the top-seeded team in the field.
By Daily Bruin Staff
Feb. 11, 2011 10:16 a.m.
Last weekend, the UCLA women’s water polo team was out to prove itself against the powers of the country. If the Bruins’ change in ranking is any indication ““ they now sit a spot higher at No. 3 ““ the trip to the Stanford Invitational was successful.
Things will be a little different at the Triton Invitational this weekend. UCLA (8-1) enters as the highest-ranked team in a 16-team field, only 10 of which are ranked. In a sport with such a big disparity between the top four teams and the rest of the country, nothing less than a four-win showing at the Invitational will help UCLA keep its ranking.
UCLA opens against Santa Clara on Saturday and, should they win, will move on to play the winner between No. 14 Hartwick and No. 17 San Diego later in the day.
UCLA has been led by upperclassmen during its hot start. Senior attacker Priscilla Orozco and junior utility KK Clark have been the key cogs. The two lead the team with 19 goals apiece this year. Senior center Grace Reynolds, who led the team in scoring last season, has 10 goals on the year.
Also in La Jolla will be No. 7 Michigan and No. 13 Cal State Northridge, two teams UCLA beat at the Michigan Invitational earlier this year.
Compiled by Ryan Menezes, Bruin Sports senior staff.
