The Sun Devils will host six games, featuring four teams, over the two day invitation. The event will get underway at 10 a.m. Saturday when La Verne and Marist will meet for the first of four games on day one. Following game one, ASU will take the pool to face second-ranked Stanford at noon AZT. Following a short break, action will get back underway at 3:30 p.m. with game three featuring La Verne and Stanford, followed by the Sun Devils' second game of the afternoon at against Marist at 5 p.m.
ASU water polo action will continue Sunday morning with a pair of games to end the 2017 Invite. Marist will face Stanford at 9 a.m., followed by the final game of the weekend featuring the Sun Devils and La Verne at 10:30 a.m. AZT.
WHO IS IN THE POOL?
Stanford:
Stanford enters the weekend as the third highest scoring team in the MPSF in terms of goals per game (14.83), behind USC (16.79) and UCLA (16.00), and third in goals allowed per game (5.17), with UCLA 3.69) and USC (3.84) in the top two spots. Individually, Maggie Steffens is tied for second in goals per game (2.50), Makenzie Fischer is fourth (2.33), Jamie Neushul is 12th (1.83) and Dani Jackovich tied for 17th (1.58). Gabby Stone's 5.13 goals against average is fifth in the conference and her 8.91 saves per game are sixth. Julia Hermann is fourth in goals against average (5.00) and 10th in saves per game (7.25).
La Verne:
The Leopards head to Tempe sporting a 6-3 record, including wins in their last two contests. La Verne, in their last game against Azusa Pacific, the Leopards rattled off a 5-0 fourth quarter run to pick up their sixth win of the season, 9-8. La Verne competed in the 2017 Barbara Kalbus Invitational two weeks ago, where the team posted a 2-2 record. After opening the weekend with a pair of wins against Azusa Pacific and Cal State Monterey Bay, the Leopards stumbled on the final day of play, losing to Fresno Pacific (9-8) and UC Santa Barbara (16-1).
Marist:
The Marist Red Foxes enter the Sun Devil Invite riding a two-game slide, and boasting a 6-8 record. In their last outing, Marist fell to Harvard, 10-9. Senior co-captain Amanda Amorosa leads Marist with 46 shots and 16 goals in 11 games played. Sophomore Grace Doerfler is second on the team with 34 shots and 13 goals, while senior co-captain Jocelyn McQuade leads the team with 11 assists. In the net, freshman Carsen Horvatich and junior Jessica Hermosillo have split time with Horvatich playing seven games with 40 saves and 49 goals for a 8.91 goals against average and a .449 save percentage to go along with six steals.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Saturday:
10 a.m.- La Verne vs Marist
Noon - Arizona State vs Stanford
3:30 p.m.- La Verne vs Stanford
5 p.m. - Arizona State vs Marist
Sunday:
9 a.m. - Stanford vs Marist
10:30 a.m. - Arizona State vs La Verne
For the first time in her career, junior Lena Mihailovic was named the MPSF Player of the Week today as announced by the league office on Tuesday afternoon. Mihailovic scored a team-high seven goals in four games at the Michigan Invitational this past weekend (Mar. 4-5). She scored in all four games, including three goals against the host school, No. 7 Michigan.The Sun Devils won three of four, defeating No. 9 Pacific 8-6, Santa Clara 14-2, and Bucknell 11-0. She owns 29 goals on the year, already surpassing her total from each of her first two years, and ranks ninth in the MPSF. IN THE POLLS
The Sun Devils dropped two spots in this week's ranking, checking in at No. 7. After holding steady at No. 5 for the first few weeks of the season, the Sun Devils have not fallen outside of the top-10 this season, and have played seven games against teams currently ranked in the top-10 in this week's poll.
NOT IN MIA HOUSE
Mia Rycraw continued her dominant start to the 2017 season, proving to be the anchor to the talented Sun Devil defense. So far this season, the Junior has recorded 114 saves on the year, including 51 saves at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational. Rycraw currently holds the three of the top-5 spots in the MPSF's single-game saves high this season, including an 18 save outing against UCI last weekend that ranks first in the league.
GOALS ON GOALS
So far this season, the Sun Devils have outscored their opposition 153-86 on the year. Junior Lena Mihailovic leads the team with 29 goals this season, followed by sophomore Maud Koopman who has added 25 goals. Entering the weekend, ASU has five different players averaging at least one goal per game, including two players who are near the two goals per game mark.
SHUTDOWN SHUTOUT
Arizona State water polo swept the final day of play at the 2017 Wolverine Invitational last Sunday, topping Santa Clara, 14-2, before recording their second-ever shutout victory over Bucknell, 11-0, Sunday afternoon at the Canham Natatorium. Senior Taylor Barrett shined for the Devils in the shutout victory, going a perfect 24-for-24 in saves. The California-native got the start in game two after goalie Mia Rycraw saw most of the action during game one against Santa Clara.