NO. 6 CAL (5-0) AT NO. 2 UCLA (2-0)
SPIEKER AQUATICS CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
SATURDAY, MARCH 13| 11  A.M. PT | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
SUNDAY, MARCH 14 | 11 A.M. PT | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO



The No. 6 Cal women's water polo team opens MPSF play this weekend with a tough two-game set at No. 2 UCLA. The Bears bring an unblemished 5-0 record into the beginning of conference action, including four victories over nationally ranked opponents. Cal has played elite defense so far this season, with several stretches of five minutes or more in which opponents haven't scored. Offensively, the Bears have enjoyed balanced scoring, with freshman Reagan Whitney leading the team with nine goals while Brigit Mulder and Grace Raisin each have eight.


 

REYNOSO NAMED MPSF NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Cal freshman Mallory Reynoso was named the MPSF Newcomer of the Week on Tuesday for her performance during the Bears' victory over UC Santa Barbara last Saturday. Reynoso had a terrific all-around game against the Gauchos, compiling a goal, two assists, three steals and a field block. It marked the second consecutive week a Cal player earned the conference's weekly newcomer honor - Reagan Whitney claimed the award on March 2.

BALL-ING OUT
Senior goalie Cassidy Ball has been superb in the cage so far this season, averaging 11.3 saves per game and coming through in big moments. In last weekend's win over UCSB, Ball registered saves on each of the Gauchos' final five shots to help preserve an 11-10 victory. Ball ranks fifth in the MPSF with 31 saves despite only playing half the game in three different contests this season and just one quarter in another. She led the MPSF last season with 134 saves and ranks ninth on the program's all-time list with 221 in her career.

ELITE ELLI
Elli Protopapas has been filling up the boxscore this season, and she didn't stop last week against UCSB. Protopapas had two goals and four steals in the win, and leads the team with 14 points. Her 10 steals overall ranks ninth in the MPSF. Protopapas was a member of the 2018 MPSF All-Newcomer Team as a freshman and was fourth on the team as a sophomore with 31 goals. She sat out the 2020 season to train with the Greek National Team.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Cal's eight-member freshmen class has become an integral part of the team's success immediately, with the group responsible for 38% of the Bears' scoring so far (30 combined goals). Reagan Whitney leads the team with nine goals while fellow freshman Maryn Dempsey is tied for third with seven. Whitney and Mallory Reynoso are also tied for second on the team with seven steals and Dempsey is third in assists with five.

BRI BEING BRI
Two-time All-American Brigit Mulder continues to be one of the most feared players in the college game. She has eight goals in four games, despite sitting out long stretches of games in which the Bears' had a commanding lead. Mulder also has six earned exclusions, four assists and four steals. Mulder had a hat trick in Cal's 11-9 overtime victory against Fresno State, including the equalizer with five seconds to go in regulation.

OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION UPDATE
Former Cal four-time All-American Anna "Nusi" Illes took center stage last month, helping Hungary win the Olympic Qualification Tournament. Illes scored nine goals during the tournament, aidng Hungary to nab an automatic berth to the Olympics when it qualified for the championship match. In the finals, Hungary defeated The Netherlands, which also earned a bid to the Summer Games. Senior Kitty Lynn Joustra was scheduled to compete for The Netherlands at the tournament but suffered an injury shortly before the event and was unable to play. Cal alum Dora Antal, a fellow four-time All-American and the Bears' all-time leading scorer, was an alternate for Hungary. 

ABOUT NO. 2 UCLA
• The Bruins feature six players who earned All-American status last season
• UCLA has played just two games, including a win over No. 5 UC Irvine
• SO Abbi Hill, a 2020 ACWPC First Team All-American, scored five goals against UCI
 • CAL ALL-TIME VS. UCLA: 11-58