Saturday, November 9
Stanford, CA
10:30 AM
California
at
Stanford
11/7/2019 8:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Cal To Clash With Stanford, UC Irvine This Weekend
BERKELEY – No. 7 California will look to bring the Steve Heaston Trophy back to Berkeley for the first time since 2016 when it faces No. 2 Stanford on the road in the 2019 edition of the Big Splash during a two-match weekend that also includes a home contest against No. 15 UC Irvine.
The Bears (11-8, 0-1 MPSF) will clash with Stanford (15-2, 0-1 MPSF) at 10:30 a.m. (PT) on Saturday on The Farm before returning home to host the Anteaters (6-11) at 1 p.m. (PT) on Sunday at Spieker Aquatics Complex. The Big Splash will be aired live on Pac-12 Network Bay Area and both matches will have live stats provided on the FOSH.
WEEKEND OUTLOOK
Opponents: No. 2 Stanford (15-2, 0-1 MPSF) | No. 15 UC Irvine (6-11, 0-3 GCC)
Dates/Times: Saturday, Nov. 9/10:30 a.m. (PT) | Sunday, Nov. 10/1 p.m. (PT)
Location: Stanford, Calif./Avery Aquatics Center | Berkeley, Calif./Spieker Aquatics Complex
Live Stats: Stanford – FOSH | UC Irvine – FOSH
TV: Stanford – Pac-12 Network Bay Area | UC Irvine – N/A
Notes: Cal | MPSF
ABOUT STANFORD
The Cardinal held the No. 1 ranking in the CWPA Top 20 poll for five consecutive weeks until dropping to No. 2 following a 9-8 loss to USC on Nov. 2. The loss also snapped Stanford's 10-match win streak and moved the team to 15-2 overall heading into Saturday's Big Splash. The Cardinal is led by reigning national player of the year, Ben Hallock, who has scored 66 goals this season.
ABOUT UC IRVINE
UC Irvine is in the midst of an eight-match skid dating back to Sept. 28 and owns a 6-11 overall record heading into a weekend that includes road contests at Pacific and Cal. Jason Evezard (45 points) and Bryant Joudrie (40 points) are the Anteaters' top offensive threats while Harrison Land is their primary goalkeeper, having made 12 starts. The Bears and Anteaters have already clashed twice this fall with Cal winning both meetings, 11-6 on Sept. 8, and 10-5 on Sept. 27.
BIG SPLASH
Saturday marks the 2019 edition of the Big Splash, Cal and Stanford's rivalry in the pool. Bragging rights and the Steve Heaston Trophy, named for former California head coach from 1989-98, will be on the line. Cal's last win in the Big Splash came in 2016 when the Bears notched an 11-10 victory on Senior Day. During head coach Kirk Everist's tenure, Cal is 5-12 against the Cardinal in the Big Splash. The Bears' longest win streak in Big Splash action under Everist was three games from 2010-12.
EARNING THEIR STRIPES
With a young roster at his disposal, Cal head coach Kirk Everist has asked multiple freshmen to step up with big minutes and production. The most impressive of those newcomers are goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg and center Nikolaos Papanikolaou. Both players have been named MPSF Newcomer of the Week once this year.
Weinberg ranks second in the MPSF with 159 saves and owns a .508 save percentage, having started 17 matches. Papanikolaou ranks fourth in goals (39) and seventh in steals (17) among MPSF players. Other freshmen with key reps include Garrett Dunn (10 goals, 10 steals, six assists), Warren Loth (13 goals, one assist, nine field blocks) and Sam Untrecht (12 goals, 16 steals).
LUCKY LEFTY
Senior attacker Safak Simsek is on pace to finish his collegiate career as one of Cal's most successful goal scorers and is the team's active leader with 148. Simsek has excelled as the focal point of the Bears' offense this fall, as he is fourth in points (56) and third in goals (41) among MPSF players. The left-hander scored multiple goals in 14 of 19 matches and has netted at least one in 18 of 19.
CAPTAIN HOOVER
Jordan Hoover is making the most of his fifth and final year as a Bear. The team captain ranks third on the team with a career-best 36 goals. His game-winner at Long Beach State on Nov. 3 was the 100th of his career. With 38 ejections earned, 12 steals and four field blocks to his name as well, Hoover is proving to be one of Cal's most reliable pieces.
FREE WATER POLO
An extra six minutes of action have been consistently added to the Bears' matches this season, as they've been taken to overtime six times overall, including four times in their last five matches. Cal is 3-3 in such contests with wins coming against San Jose State (twice) and Long Beach State.
NEXT TIME
Cal will host USC on Senior Day and in the Bears' regular season finale on Nov. 16 at Spieker Aquatics Complex.
MANN INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME
Former Cal standout John Mann (2003-06) will be inducted into the 2019 Cal Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday as part of a seven-member class. A two-time U.S. Olympian ('12, '16), Mann was a member of multiple USA teams that competed at multiple World events, earning a gold medal at the 2007 and 2015 Pan Am Games. While at Cal, Mann received the Pete Cutino Award as the nation's top collegiate player as a senior in 2006 when he helped the Bears to the NCAA title. The three-time All-American ranks third on Cal's all-time scoring list with 218 goals.
STAY POSTED
For complete coverage of Cal men's water polo, please follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalWaterPolo), Instagram (@CalMWaterPolo) and Facebook (Facebook.com/Cal-Mens-Water-Polo-Fan-Page).
The Bears (11-8, 0-1 MPSF) will clash with Stanford (15-2, 0-1 MPSF) at 10:30 a.m. (PT) on Saturday on The Farm before returning home to host the Anteaters (6-11) at 1 p.m. (PT) on Sunday at Spieker Aquatics Complex. The Big Splash will be aired live on Pac-12 Network Bay Area and both matches will have live stats provided on the FOSH.
WEEKEND OUTLOOK
Opponents: No. 2 Stanford (15-2, 0-1 MPSF) | No. 15 UC Irvine (6-11, 0-3 GCC)
Dates/Times: Saturday, Nov. 9/10:30 a.m. (PT) | Sunday, Nov. 10/1 p.m. (PT)
Location: Stanford, Calif./Avery Aquatics Center | Berkeley, Calif./Spieker Aquatics Complex
Live Stats: Stanford – FOSH | UC Irvine – FOSH
TV: Stanford – Pac-12 Network Bay Area | UC Irvine – N/A
Notes: Cal | MPSF
ABOUT STANFORD
The Cardinal held the No. 1 ranking in the CWPA Top 20 poll for five consecutive weeks until dropping to No. 2 following a 9-8 loss to USC on Nov. 2. The loss also snapped Stanford's 10-match win streak and moved the team to 15-2 overall heading into Saturday's Big Splash. The Cardinal is led by reigning national player of the year, Ben Hallock, who has scored 66 goals this season.
ABOUT UC IRVINE
UC Irvine is in the midst of an eight-match skid dating back to Sept. 28 and owns a 6-11 overall record heading into a weekend that includes road contests at Pacific and Cal. Jason Evezard (45 points) and Bryant Joudrie (40 points) are the Anteaters' top offensive threats while Harrison Land is their primary goalkeeper, having made 12 starts. The Bears and Anteaters have already clashed twice this fall with Cal winning both meetings, 11-6 on Sept. 8, and 10-5 on Sept. 27.
BIG SPLASH
Saturday marks the 2019 edition of the Big Splash, Cal and Stanford's rivalry in the pool. Bragging rights and the Steve Heaston Trophy, named for former California head coach from 1989-98, will be on the line. Cal's last win in the Big Splash came in 2016 when the Bears notched an 11-10 victory on Senior Day. During head coach Kirk Everist's tenure, Cal is 5-12 against the Cardinal in the Big Splash. The Bears' longest win streak in Big Splash action under Everist was three games from 2010-12.
EARNING THEIR STRIPES
With a young roster at his disposal, Cal head coach Kirk Everist has asked multiple freshmen to step up with big minutes and production. The most impressive of those newcomers are goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg and center Nikolaos Papanikolaou. Both players have been named MPSF Newcomer of the Week once this year.
Weinberg ranks second in the MPSF with 159 saves and owns a .508 save percentage, having started 17 matches. Papanikolaou ranks fourth in goals (39) and seventh in steals (17) among MPSF players. Other freshmen with key reps include Garrett Dunn (10 goals, 10 steals, six assists), Warren Loth (13 goals, one assist, nine field blocks) and Sam Untrecht (12 goals, 16 steals).
LUCKY LEFTY
Senior attacker Safak Simsek is on pace to finish his collegiate career as one of Cal's most successful goal scorers and is the team's active leader with 148. Simsek has excelled as the focal point of the Bears' offense this fall, as he is fourth in points (56) and third in goals (41) among MPSF players. The left-hander scored multiple goals in 14 of 19 matches and has netted at least one in 18 of 19.
CAPTAIN HOOVER
Jordan Hoover is making the most of his fifth and final year as a Bear. The team captain ranks third on the team with a career-best 36 goals. His game-winner at Long Beach State on Nov. 3 was the 100th of his career. With 38 ejections earned, 12 steals and four field blocks to his name as well, Hoover is proving to be one of Cal's most reliable pieces.
FREE WATER POLO
An extra six minutes of action have been consistently added to the Bears' matches this season, as they've been taken to overtime six times overall, including four times in their last five matches. Cal is 3-3 in such contests with wins coming against San Jose State (twice) and Long Beach State.
NEXT TIME
Cal will host USC on Senior Day and in the Bears' regular season finale on Nov. 16 at Spieker Aquatics Complex.
MANN INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME
Former Cal standout John Mann (2003-06) will be inducted into the 2019 Cal Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday as part of a seven-member class. A two-time U.S. Olympian ('12, '16), Mann was a member of multiple USA teams that competed at multiple World events, earning a gold medal at the 2007 and 2015 Pan Am Games. While at Cal, Mann received the Pete Cutino Award as the nation's top collegiate player as a senior in 2006 when he helped the Bears to the NCAA title. The three-time All-American ranks third on Cal's all-time scoring list with 218 goals.
STAY POSTED
For complete coverage of Cal men's water polo, please follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalWaterPolo), Instagram (@CalMWaterPolo) and Facebook (Facebook.com/Cal-Mens-Water-Polo-Fan-Page).
Players Mentioned
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GK
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