California Golden Bears Athletics
Friday, September 27
Los Angeles, CA
2:20 PM
California
vs
UC Irvine
9/25/2019 11:04 AM | Men's Water Polo
No. 7 California Primed For MPSF/SoCal Invitational
BERKELEY – No. 7 California will ride a four-match win streak into the 2019 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation/SoCal Invitational, hosted at UCLA and Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles on Sept. 27-29.
The Bears (7-3), who claimed four wins at last weekend's UC Davis-hosted Aggie Roundup, will play four total matches over the three-day span in SoCal at the home pools of UCLA and LMU. Cal will open the weekend against No. 10 UC Irvine at 2:20 p.m. on Friday at UCLA's Spieker Aquatic Center.
Opponents, game times and pool locations for Cal's remaining three matches are dependent on Friday's contest. Click here to view a full MPSF/SoCal Invitational schedule. All four matches will have live stats provided via the FOSH.
MPSF/SOCAL INVITATIONAL OUTLOOK
Opponents: #10 UC Irvine (5-2) | TBD (x3)
Dates: Friday, Sept. 27 (2:20 p.m.) | Saturday, Sept. 28 (two matches) | Sunday, Sept. 29 (one match)
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. | UCLA – Spieker Aquatic Center | LMU – Burns Aquatics Center
Tournament Central: UCLABruins.com
Tournament Bracket: CalBears.com
Live Stats: FOSH | UC Irvine | TBD | TBD | TBD
ABOUT UC IRVINE
Friday will serve as Cal's second clash with the Anteaters this season after the Bears bested them, 11-6, in the Triton Invitational finale in San Diego on Sept. 8. UC Irvine is 5-2 overall and has won three straight contests since its loss to Cal, having defeated California Baptist, Loyola Marymount and Concordia in the last two weeks. Jason Evezard (20 goals) and Casey Lynton (seven goals, 11 assists) pace the Anteaters' offense while Harrison Land has anchored the goalie position with 72 saves.
LAST TIME VS. UC IRVINE
Cal eased its way to a third and final win at the UC San Diego-hosted Triton Invitational with an 11-6 victory over UC Irvine earlier this month. The Bears were coming off their first loss of the season and established a six-goal lead over the Anteaters by halftime. That advantage extended to eight goals by the 4:35-mark of the third quarter. UC Irvine scored five second-half goals, including a trio in the finale period, before Cal put away the contest.
Adrian Weinberg put together one of the strongest performances of his young career, recording 14 saves against 19 shots before subbing out in the third period. Safak Simsek had four goals and two assists while Jordan Hoover netted a hat trick.
EARNING THEIR STRIPES
With a young roster at his disposal, Cal head coach Kirk Everist has asked multiple freshmen to step up through the first 10 matches this season. The most impressive of those newcomers are goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg and center Nikolaos Papanikolaou. Weinberg has started every match between the pipes and ranks third nationally with 95 total saves (9.5 per game). Papanikolaou's 26 points and 23 goals are tied for fourth and second among MPSF players, respectively. The center has scored at least twice in nine of Cal's 10 matches and has recorded 10 goals in the last three contests.
Other freshmen with key reps include Sam Untrecht (seven goals, 12 steals, two field blocks) and Garrett Dunn (five goals, four assists, eight steals), both of whom have played all 10 matches.
DOING IT ALL
Junior transfer Jasmin Kolasinac has done a bit of everything for the Bears' offense so far this season and saw it pay off when he was named the MPSF/KAP7 Newcomer of the Week on Monday. Kolasinac had 15 points on eight goals and seven assists in four wins at the Aggie Roundup last weekend, highlighted by a seven-point outburst against UC Davis.
Kolasinac is the MPSF leader in points (37) and assists (20) and ranks among league leaders in steals (second, 15) and goals (seventh, 17) through 10 matches played. He has tallied at least one goal and one assist in seven of Cal's 10 games. The Serbian transferred from Wagner College, where he scored 203 goals in two seasons and earned an ACWPC All-American honorable mention in 2018.
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 133. A native of Istanbul, Turkey, Simsek has excelled as the focal point of the Bears' offense this fall, netting a MPSF-best 26 goals while ranking ninth nationally in the same category.
The left-hander scored multiple goals in each of the first nine matches this season and has netted at least one in all 10. He has added 10 assists and five steals so far. Simsek earned a slew of postseason awards last year as he was named to the ACWPC All-America Third Team, the MPSF All-Tournament Team and the All-MPSF Second Team.
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 21 goals, already just 12 shy of tying his career-best (33) from one season ago. With 21 ejections earned, seven steals and two field blocks to his name as well, Hoover is proving to be one of Cal's most reliable pieces.
NEXT TIME
The Bears will aim for a season sweep of San Jose State when they travel to San Jose for a 1 p.m. nonconference contest on Saturday, Oct. 5. Cal earned a 13-11 overtime victory over the Spartans on Sept. 21 at the Aggie Roundup in Davis.
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 (7-3), who claimed four wins at last weekend's UC Davis-hosted Aggie Roundup, will play four total matches over the three-day span in SoCal at the home pools of UCLA and LMU. Cal will open the weekend against No. 10 UC Irvine at 2:20 p.m. on Friday at UCLA's Spieker Aquatic Center.
Opponents, game times and pool locations for Cal's remaining three matches are dependent on Friday's contest. Click here to view a full MPSF/SoCal Invitational schedule. All four matches will have live stats provided via the FOSH.
MPSF/SOCAL INVITATIONAL OUTLOOK
Opponents: #10 UC Irvine (5-2) | TBD (x3)
Dates: Friday, Sept. 27 (2:20 p.m.) | Saturday, Sept. 28 (two matches) | Sunday, Sept. 29 (one match)
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. | UCLA – Spieker Aquatic Center | LMU – Burns Aquatics Center
Tournament Central: UCLABruins.com
Tournament Bracket: CalBears.com
Live Stats: FOSH | UC Irvine | TBD | TBD | TBD
ABOUT UC IRVINE
Friday will serve as Cal's second clash with the Anteaters this season after the Bears bested them, 11-6, in the Triton Invitational finale in San Diego on Sept. 8. UC Irvine is 5-2 overall and has won three straight contests since its loss to Cal, having defeated California Baptist, Loyola Marymount and Concordia in the last two weeks. Jason Evezard (20 goals) and Casey Lynton (seven goals, 11 assists) pace the Anteaters' offense while Harrison Land has anchored the goalie position with 72 saves.
LAST TIME VS. UC IRVINE
Cal eased its way to a third and final win at the UC San Diego-hosted Triton Invitational with an 11-6 victory over UC Irvine earlier this month. The Bears were coming off their first loss of the season and established a six-goal lead over the Anteaters by halftime. That advantage extended to eight goals by the 4:35-mark of the third quarter. UC Irvine scored five second-half goals, including a trio in the finale period, before Cal put away the contest.
Adrian Weinberg put together one of the strongest performances of his young career, recording 14 saves against 19 shots before subbing out in the third period. Safak Simsek had four goals and two assists while Jordan Hoover netted a hat trick.
EARNING THEIR STRIPES
With a young roster at his disposal, Cal head coach Kirk Everist has asked multiple freshmen to step up through the first 10 matches this season. The most impressive of those newcomers are goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg and center Nikolaos Papanikolaou. Weinberg has started every match between the pipes and ranks third nationally with 95 total saves (9.5 per game). Papanikolaou's 26 points and 23 goals are tied for fourth and second among MPSF players, respectively. The center has scored at least twice in nine of Cal's 10 matches and has recorded 10 goals in the last three contests.
Other freshmen with key reps include Sam Untrecht (seven goals, 12 steals, two field blocks) and Garrett Dunn (five goals, four assists, eight steals), both of whom have played all 10 matches.
DOING IT ALL
Junior transfer Jasmin Kolasinac has done a bit of everything for the Bears' offense so far this season and saw it pay off when he was named the MPSF/KAP7 Newcomer of the Week on Monday. Kolasinac had 15 points on eight goals and seven assists in four wins at the Aggie Roundup last weekend, highlighted by a seven-point outburst against UC Davis.
Kolasinac is the MPSF leader in points (37) and assists (20) and ranks among league leaders in steals (second, 15) and goals (seventh, 17) through 10 matches played. He has tallied at least one goal and one assist in seven of Cal's 10 games. The Serbian transferred from Wagner College, where he scored 203 goals in two seasons and earned an ACWPC All-American honorable mention in 2018.
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 133. A native of Istanbul, Turkey, Simsek has excelled as the focal point of the Bears' offense this fall, netting a MPSF-best 26 goals while ranking ninth nationally in the same category.
The left-hander scored multiple goals in each of the first nine matches this season and has netted at least one in all 10. He has added 10 assists and five steals so far. Simsek earned a slew of postseason awards last year as he was named to the ACWPC All-America Third Team, the MPSF All-Tournament Team and the All-MPSF Second Team.
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 21 goals, already just 12 shy of tying his career-best (33) from one season ago. With 21 ejections earned, seven steals and two field blocks to his name as well, Hoover is proving to be one of Cal's most reliable pieces.
NEXT TIME
The Bears will aim for a season sweep of San Jose State when they travel to San Jose for a 1 p.m. nonconference contest on Saturday, Oct. 5. Cal earned a 13-11 overtime victory over the Spartans on Sept. 21 at the Aggie Roundup in Davis.
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
A
/ Men's Water Polo
A
/ Men's Water Polo
A
/ Men's Water Polo
C
/ Men's Water Polo
A
/ Men's Water Polo
A
/ Men's Water Polo
GK
/ Men's Water PoloThursday, October 05
Thursday, October 20
Thursday, June 23
