May 9, 2006
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2006 NCAA WOMEN'S WATER POLO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Hosted by UC Davis at Schaal Aquatics Center
Friday, May 12 - Sunday, May 14, 2006
Quarterfinal Round:
No. 5 seed UC Davis vs. No. 4 seed Hawai'i
Friday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m.
AGAINST HAWAI'I
The Aggies have posted a 5-5 record against Hawai'i dating back to 1998. UC Davis has lost the last two match-ups, including the most recent in a 9-5 loss during the 2005 season. The two teams have yet to play this season.
SCOUTING THE WAHINE
Hawai'i has posted a record of 17-10 this season and earned one of three at-large berths into the tournament after taking second at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships. Hawai'i found itself in the championship match after defeating the previously undefeated No. 1 ranked USC Trojans. In the tournament's championship game, Hawai'i lost to Stanford, 6-3. Hawai'i, which has been ranked No. 3 nationally by the Collegiate Water Polo Association's Coaches' Poll, is led by the MPSF's most valuable player Iefke Van Belkum, a sophomore utility player. Van Belkum led the team with 65 goals and has posted 12 hat tricks on the season. In the goal for the Rainbow Wahine is Meike De Nooy, a 2005 All-American who earned second team All-MPSF honors. De Nooy averages 8.67 saves per game and 6.75 goals allowed.
This is the second season the Rainbow Wahine has earned a berth into the NCAA Championships. Last season Hawai'i placed fourth overall. The Rainbow Wahine are coached by Michel Roy, the MPSF Coach of the Year for 2006.
AGAINST THE FIELD
The Aggies have gone 1-2 against teams in the tournament field this season. UC Davis played No. 6 seed Hartwick at the UC San Diego Invitational in early February, the Aggies took a 8-4 victory. Against UCLA at the UC Santa Barbara Gaucho Invitational, the Bruins captured a decisive 10-1 win. Last time the Stanford Cardinal were in Davis was in early March, the Cardinal took a 9-3 win over the Aggies.
WE ARE THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
UC Davis, who entered the Western Water Polo Association conference tournament as the No. 2 seed, upset No. 1 seed Loyola Marymount, 8-7. The Aggies had lost twice to the Lions earlier in the season, but were able to pull of the victory when it mattered taking not only the WWPA conference title, but also the automatic berth into the NCAA championships.
THAT'S MVP TO YOU
Junior center Katherine O'Rourke earned WWPA most valuable player honors following the conference tournament. O'Rourke, who scored the game-winning goal against Loyola Marymount, has led the Aggies in scoring for the entire season and currently has 46 goals on the year. O'Rourke has scored a total of 92 career goals for the Aggies which ranks 9th in school history. O'Rourke has posted an impressive shooting percentage of .548 (46 for 84) this season and also leads the Aggies with 48 drawn exclusions and four drawn four-meters. O'Rourke ranks fourth all-time in the UC Davis record books for season and career drawn exclusions.
LOCAL LEADER
Davis native, Christi Raycraft currently leads the Aggies in assists with 31, points (goals plus assists) with 65 and steals with 42. As a sophomore, Raycraft is already ranked third for career drawn exclusions and her 31 assists this season ties her for first with Kim Parker (2001) for season assists. Against Cal State Bakersfield on Mar. 26, Raycraft posted a career-high six goals against the Roadrunners in the Aggies' 9-5 win, the half dozen goals also marks a team-high this season. Raycraft earned second team all-tournament honors at the WWPA's along with teammate Jessica Soza.
LAST LINE OF DEFENSE
Two goalies have split the time in front of the net for the Aggies this season, juniors Lina Moore and Amber Korner. Korner, who was in cage for the WWPA championship win, has started 16 games and has recorded 105 saves. Korner has posted a 4.4 goals against average per game and has an average of 7.5 saves per game. Moore has started 15 games for UC Davis and recorded 92 saves, a 5.7 goals against average and 7 saves per game average.
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
For the past six consecutive weeks, UC Davis has been ranked third defensively on the weekly national statistics report. The Aggies have allowed opponents just 141 goals in 31 games for an average of 4.5 goals per game.
EIGHT IS GREAT
This season marks the eighth consecutive season UC Davis (20-11) has posted 20 or more wins. The Aggies have posted winning seasons every year since 1997 when women's water polo became a varsity sport.
THE WRIGHT STUFF
Head women's water polo coach Jamey Wright has led the Aggies since the program's earliest years as a club team in the the 1980's. Now in his 21st year with UC Davis, Wright has led the Aggies to eight consecutive top-three finishes in the Western Water Polo Association since 1999 and to a varsity record of 209-134. In his career, Wright has coached 61-All Americans and has had eight players compete on the U.S. Senior National Team. Wright is a UC Davis graduate and was a member of both the water polo and swim teams as an undergraduate. This season, Wright guided the Aggies to their second WWPA conference title, they earned their first at the inaugural tournament in 1999. Wright has also guided the Aggies to their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance.
