Friday, January 17
Santa Barbara, Calif.
10:15 a.m.
California State University at Northridge
vs
#25 Azusa Pacific
Photo by: Shae Hammond
#22 Water Polo Sets Sights on 2020 Season
1/16/2020 10:45:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---No. 22 CSUN Water Polo opens its 19th season this weekend when the Matadors head to the UC Santa Barbara Winter Invite. The Matadors kick off the invite against No. 25 Azusa Pacific on Friday at 10:15 a.m. before taking on No. 2 UCLA at 2:30 p.m. CSUN returns to action on Saturday to face No. 7 Michigan at 8:30 a.m. and Ottawa (Ariz.) at 12:15 p.m.
Head coach Matt Warshaw enters his fourth season at the helm of the Matadors in 2020 while 13 letterwinners return to the squad. The team's top six scorers from 2019 have all returned including a pair of All-Big West selections in seniors Tori Wilson and Jennalyn Barthels. CSUN also has added six newcomers and five true freshmen to the mix.
"It's nice to have so many veteran leaders within the group," said Warshaw. "There is a calming presence when it comes to what is expected on a daily basis."
After transferring to CSUN from Hartwick, Wilson made an immediate impact last season as she led the Big West in points (94) and ranked fourth in goals (63) and steals (38). An All-Big West Second Team honoree, Wilson shot an impressive 48.8 percent from the field while she finished third on the team with 31 assists.
It was a career year for Barthels last season as she posted new personal bests in goals (39), assists (37), steals (28) and field blocks (13). Barthels was second in the Big West in assists a year ago while she played in a career-high 33 matches for the Matadors.
Other returning top scorers include seniors Katia Andon-Mateos and Madasonne Butler along with junior Sara Dempsey and sophomore Kylee Jansen. Also recording career-high totals last year, Andon-Mateos racked up 36 goals and 33 assists while Butler scored 34 goals and dished out 12 assists at the center position. Dempsey doubled her scoring output from her first season with the Matadors, finishing with 21 goals, 22 assists and 31 steals. Jansen turned heads in her freshman season, scoring 29 goals and registering 10 steals.
Jansen became the first Matador in team history to earn a spot on the Big West All-Freshman Team last season. She also began last season in red-hot fashion, scoring in the team's first 11 matches.
"Kylee had a good freshman season, but now she won't be catching anyone by surprise," said Warshaw. "Last year, in the second half of the year, she was matched up with the other team's best defenders, we anticipate that from the start this year and it'll be important for us to have an organized system on the offensive end to ensure Kylee is getting the ball with one on one coverage."
Junior goalkeeper Emma Pfister has also returned after serving as the team's primary last line of defense in 2019. Pfister played in 32 matches and totaled a Big West-leading 245 saves to go with a 9.82 goals-against-average. The freshman tandem of Piper McCulloch (Westview High School) and Meghan Lopez (Brea Olinda High School) have been added to give the Matadors a deeper look at goalkeeper.
"We've added two goalies to the mix so there is instant competition at that position, as well as a center defender in Kaitlyn Moguel who has some collegiate experience and will make an immediate impact," said Warshaw. "Team defense will be a priority as we head into the conference schedule."
Sophomore center Kaitlyn Moguel is coming off an outstanding freshman season with McKendree University in 2019. Moguel scored 36 goals and added 16 assists in her first taste of collegiate water polo. Moguel will be joined by another newcomer at center, freshman Carly Bockstahler who prepped at West Hills High School.
CSUN also brings aboard a pair of freshmen attackers in Helena Sandhagen (Claremont High School) and Lacey Hall (San Juan Hills High School) to help boost the offensive look.
"There is a big learning curve from high school to college, but our freshman class is a strong one. They are coming in with extensive club backgrounds and we don't think the stage will be too big for them. Kaitlyn Moguel has had a great training camp as well."
A Look at the Opponents this Weekend
Azusa Pacific finished 19-14 last season, posting its most wins and first winning season in team history. Sophomore attacker Milena Guzman-Ortiz scored a team-high 48 goals last season and added six assists. In net, junior Olivia Lott logged over 960 minutes and posted a 9.09 GAA in 2019.
The second-ranked Bruins went 24-7 a season ago, advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Championship before losing to eventual champion Stanford. With top scorer Maddie Musselman taking the season off to compete with Team USA, sophomore attacker Val Ayala has returned as the team's top returning scorer with 35 goals netted last season. Jahmea Bent accumulated 81 saves in 251 minutes in net in 2019.
The Wolverines enjoyed a 23-9 finishing and their fourth-straight CWPA championship in 2019. Michigan would fall to UCLA in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship. With Abby Andrews and Maddy Steere training with the Australia National Team, sophomore center Erin Neustrom is the team's top returning goal scorer with 30 last season. Senior Heidi Ritner amassed nearly 900 minutes in front of the cage and tallied 202 saves with a 7.72 GAA. Sixth-year head coach, Marcelo Leonardi served as head coach of the Matadors from 2010-14.
Ottawa is in its first season competing in women's water polo under the direction of head coach Austen Ramer.
#UniteTheValley
Head coach Matt Warshaw enters his fourth season at the helm of the Matadors in 2020 while 13 letterwinners return to the squad. The team's top six scorers from 2019 have all returned including a pair of All-Big West selections in seniors Tori Wilson and Jennalyn Barthels. CSUN also has added six newcomers and five true freshmen to the mix.
"It's nice to have so many veteran leaders within the group," said Warshaw. "There is a calming presence when it comes to what is expected on a daily basis."
After transferring to CSUN from Hartwick, Wilson made an immediate impact last season as she led the Big West in points (94) and ranked fourth in goals (63) and steals (38). An All-Big West Second Team honoree, Wilson shot an impressive 48.8 percent from the field while she finished third on the team with 31 assists.
It was a career year for Barthels last season as she posted new personal bests in goals (39), assists (37), steals (28) and field blocks (13). Barthels was second in the Big West in assists a year ago while she played in a career-high 33 matches for the Matadors.
Other returning top scorers include seniors Katia Andon-Mateos and Madasonne Butler along with junior Sara Dempsey and sophomore Kylee Jansen. Also recording career-high totals last year, Andon-Mateos racked up 36 goals and 33 assists while Butler scored 34 goals and dished out 12 assists at the center position. Dempsey doubled her scoring output from her first season with the Matadors, finishing with 21 goals, 22 assists and 31 steals. Jansen turned heads in her freshman season, scoring 29 goals and registering 10 steals.
Jansen became the first Matador in team history to earn a spot on the Big West All-Freshman Team last season. She also began last season in red-hot fashion, scoring in the team's first 11 matches.
"Kylee had a good freshman season, but now she won't be catching anyone by surprise," said Warshaw. "Last year, in the second half of the year, she was matched up with the other team's best defenders, we anticipate that from the start this year and it'll be important for us to have an organized system on the offensive end to ensure Kylee is getting the ball with one on one coverage."
Junior goalkeeper Emma Pfister has also returned after serving as the team's primary last line of defense in 2019. Pfister played in 32 matches and totaled a Big West-leading 245 saves to go with a 9.82 goals-against-average. The freshman tandem of Piper McCulloch (Westview High School) and Meghan Lopez (Brea Olinda High School) have been added to give the Matadors a deeper look at goalkeeper.
"We've added two goalies to the mix so there is instant competition at that position, as well as a center defender in Kaitlyn Moguel who has some collegiate experience and will make an immediate impact," said Warshaw. "Team defense will be a priority as we head into the conference schedule."
Sophomore center Kaitlyn Moguel is coming off an outstanding freshman season with McKendree University in 2019. Moguel scored 36 goals and added 16 assists in her first taste of collegiate water polo. Moguel will be joined by another newcomer at center, freshman Carly Bockstahler who prepped at West Hills High School.
CSUN also brings aboard a pair of freshmen attackers in Helena Sandhagen (Claremont High School) and Lacey Hall (San Juan Hills High School) to help boost the offensive look.
"There is a big learning curve from high school to college, but our freshman class is a strong one. They are coming in with extensive club backgrounds and we don't think the stage will be too big for them. Kaitlyn Moguel has had a great training camp as well."
A Look at the Opponents this Weekend
Azusa Pacific finished 19-14 last season, posting its most wins and first winning season in team history. Sophomore attacker Milena Guzman-Ortiz scored a team-high 48 goals last season and added six assists. In net, junior Olivia Lott logged over 960 minutes and posted a 9.09 GAA in 2019.
The second-ranked Bruins went 24-7 a season ago, advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Championship before losing to eventual champion Stanford. With top scorer Maddie Musselman taking the season off to compete with Team USA, sophomore attacker Val Ayala has returned as the team's top returning scorer with 35 goals netted last season. Jahmea Bent accumulated 81 saves in 251 minutes in net in 2019.
The Wolverines enjoyed a 23-9 finishing and their fourth-straight CWPA championship in 2019. Michigan would fall to UCLA in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship. With Abby Andrews and Maddy Steere training with the Australia National Team, sophomore center Erin Neustrom is the team's top returning goal scorer with 30 last season. Senior Heidi Ritner amassed nearly 900 minutes in front of the cage and tallied 202 saves with a 7.72 GAA. Sixth-year head coach, Marcelo Leonardi served as head coach of the Matadors from 2010-14.
Ottawa is in its first season competing in women's water polo under the direction of head coach Austen Ramer.
#UniteTheValley
Players Mentioned
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Utility
/ Women's Water Polo
Center
/ Women's Water Polo
Center
/ Women's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Center
/ Women's Water Polo
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Water Polo
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Water Polo
Center
/ Women's Water Polo
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Utility
/ Women's Water PoloA Conversation With Matt Warshaw
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