#22 CSUN Begins 21st Season of Water Polo on Saturday

Saturday, January 21

Long Beach, Calif.

8:00 a.m.

California State University at Northridge

La Verne

Photo by: Will Navarro

#22 CSUN Begins 21st Season of Water Polo on Saturday

1/20/2023 10:29:00 AM | Women's Water Polo

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---No. 22 CSUN Water Polo opens its 21st season on Saturday at the Beach Invite hosted by Long Beach State. The Matadors will play twice on the day starting with an 8 a.m. match with La Verne. CSUN wraps up the day taking on Biola at 1:45 p.m. Live stats will be provided for both matches.

The Matadors have much of the same look of last season young squad that finished 12-14. CSUN has returned 17 letterwinners and added just four newcomers to the mix. Four of the team's top five scorers return along with its starting goalkeeper. All three of the team's All-America honorees last year have rejoined the program in 2023.

A first-team all-conference selection in 2022, Dorottya Telek enjoyed a banner freshman campaign with the Matadors. She led The Big West in goals with 77 and points with 108 while she ranked second in steals (35) and third in assists (31). Telek, who earned an All-America nod, scored the third-most goals as a freshman in Big West history. On Jan. 13, Telek was placed on the Preseason All-Big West team.

Another All-American selection last season, Anna Pal earned a spot on the Big West All-Freshman Team after finishing second in the league in assists (37), fifth in points (84) and seventh in goals (47). The team's third All-American from 2022, junior Helena Sandhagen was third on the squad in points (38) and fourth in goals (26) to go with 12 assists. Sophomore Valeria Martinez was the team's fifth leading goal scorer last season, posting 15 goals with 20 points.

CSUN's primary starting goalkeeper Meghan Lopez returns for her third season with the team. Lopez appeared in 22 matches last season, making 20 starts while tallying 197 saves and a 9-12 record. Other returners include juniors Lacey Hall and Carly Bockstahler and sophomores Tatiana Smeltzer, Jessica Matkovich, Madison Little, Kate Cornejo, Alexis Smith, Tatum Scarry, Nicole Thomas, Nicole Bacoyanis, Shelby Hovanesian and Kelsey Meyers.

The Matadors have added a pair of junior college transfers in Beata Hitterer (Center, Los Angeles Valley College) and Maria Sandoghdar (Utility, Los Angeles Pierce College) and true freshmen Erica Neri (Goalkeeper, Grossmont High School) and Leah Huisar (Utility, St. Lucy Priory High School).

Head coach Matt Warshaw enters his sixth season and seventh overall year leading the Matadors in 2023. Over the offseason, Warshaw has added to his staff assistant coach Candice Vorbeck who joins CSUN after serving as men's and women's water polo coach at McKendree University.

A CLOSER LOOK AT LA VERNE
La Verne was ranked seventh nationally in this week's Division III poll. The team finished 16-12 and 6-8 in SCIAC league action last season. The Leopars were picked to finish in fifth place in the preseason SCIAC poll.

CSUN leads La Verne 4-1 in the all-time series with the Matadors posting four consecutive wins. The teams last met at the 2020 Beach Invite with CSUN prevailing by a 19-7 margin.

A CLOSER LOOK AT BIOLA
Biola opened up the 2023 season last week, going 0-3 at the Arizona State Mini Tournament. The Eagles fell to three Division I teams at the event in Michigan (14-0), California Baptist (16-10) and Arizona State (16-7). In 2022, Dvision II Biola finished 14-16 overall and 4-2 in WWPA league play. Maria Roldan Gonzalez has a team-high five goals through three matches.

This season's meeting between CSUN and Biola will be the first-ever matchup in water polo.

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