March 24, 2001

BERKELEY, CA - The No. 4-ranked women's water polo team (12-6, 5-2 MPSF) grabbed two convincing victories today at the Spieker Aquatics Complex. Cal first knocked out Pacific, 16-6, before taking on the UC Santa Cruz Slugs. The last time Cal and UC Santa Cruz met was March 26, 1997, when the Bears defeated the Slugs 27-1, the largest margin of victory and the highest recorded score in Cal history as a varsity sport. Cal would make history again today, as they shut out the Slugs, 17-0, the first shutout all season for the Bears and the second in school history as a varsity sport. The only other shutout dates back four years when the Bears defeated Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 21-0, at the Stanford Invitational, March 8, 1997.

Fourteen Bears would get on the scoreboard for Cal, as the Bears cruised to an easy victory over the Slugs. The Bears scored on their first possession of the game, taking advantage of a man-up situation, scoring with 6:34 on a goal from senior Beth Irwin, her first of two goals for the match. Two possessions later, Irwin would steal a Slug pass and get it to junior Brenna Fleener, who would score on a counter attack at the 5:47 mark. The Bears would prove too fast for the Slugs, as they would notch three more goals to end the quarter with a 5-0 lead. Senior goalie Fana Fuqua would tally four saves in the quarter before freshman Lauren Dennis would take her place in front of the cage for the rest of the game.

UC Santa Cruz settled for many eight and ten-meter shots, unable to penetrate the Bears swarming defense. Chris Lane, who scored on a 4-meter penalty shot, and Laura Graham, who scored on a man-up possession, would tally the only goals in the second quarter, however the Bears were just getting started.

Nine more Cal players would find the cage, including two from freshman Lindy Spieker, who notched her third goal of the weekend and her fourth of her career in the match. Finding the cage for the first time of their careers were freshmen Kate DeAyora and Marissa Muller who both tallied goals in the fourth quarter. DeAyora scored on Cal's first possession of the quarter, while Muller put the ball past the Slug's Nicole Beatie at the 1:48 mark, as Cal's 16-player bench erupted with cheers and high fives. Lauren Dennis would end the game with nine saves for the Bears.

Final Stats

		1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Totals
California	5	2	4	6	17
UC Santa Cruz	0	0	0	0	0

Saves
California-Fana Fuqua 4, Lauren Dennis 9
UC Santa Cruz-Nicole Beatie 6