49ers Are Set for Post-Season Push
Beach Begins NCAA Quest at MPSF Tournament at Cal
April 26, 2005 READY FOR MPSF PLAY
The No. 4-ranked 49ers (19-7, 8-3 MPSF), despite splitting its last eight games heading into post-season play, The Beach play their best water polo at the end of the season, having finished fourth at the MPSF Tournament in each of the past three seasons. Fifth-seeded LBSU will open up play with 12th-seeded Arizona State on Thursday at 11:15 a.m. and then if they win, will have a showdown with fourth-seeded Hawaii. LBSU beat Arizona State (7-3) earlier this season and lost a highly contested match in Honolulu to the Wahine (8-7). Should The Beach get through the first two rounds, Saturday should feature a matchup with top-ranked UCLA, which The Beach had in its grasp a week ago in Westwood (leading after the first nine minutes). Both the MPSF Semifinals, third place match and Finals will be shown on ESPNU with Rich Cellini and Julie Swail making the call. Five automatic berths along with three at-large selections will be headed to the NCAA Championship in Ann Arbor, MI in two weeks.
SEASON IN A NUTSHELL
The 49ers started the season hot, and then got real hot, winning the Triton Invite behind a 3-1 mark and then riding winning streaks of six and seven games to push off to a school-record 15-3 start. A veteran team to start, the additions of Brazlian National teamer Marina Canetti after the first six games, Stanford transfer Jeannine Jackson and the emergence of sophomore Christina Wensman have only helped. On the way, LBSU came within inches of beating both UCLA (7-3) and Stanford (5-3) in the Gaucho Invite and then pulled off the school's first upset of a top-three opponent, when they beat Stanford 7-6 in Long Beach to move to No. 3 in the nation, it's highest national ranking. LBSU continued to win, as by mid-season they were in serious contention for the conference title.
AZEVEDO AT THE HELM
Ricardo Azevedo is in his sixth season as the head coach of both the men's and women's teams at Long Beach State, compiling a 117-73 record on the women's side. The 2003 co-MPSF Coach of the Year as set three school-records for victories and watched his team rank regularly rank, at times, from No. 3 to No. 5 over the last three seasons. Some of the program's biggest victories have also come when Azevedo has been in charge, including the team's win over California in the 2002 playoffs, which propeled the program into the nation's top-four, the school's first win over the "big three" when it defeated Stanford in 2003 and the team's win over it's highest ranked opponent to date (No. 3 Stanford in 2005).
AZEVEDO CONTINUES STRONG
Junior attacker Cassie Azevedo (Long Beach), a three-time MPSF Player of the Week, continues to lead the team in scoring having tallied at least two goals in 12 of the final 15 contests. She earned her most recent player of the week nod two weeks ago when she scored 14 goals during the LBSU Tournament. The first team All-MPSF selection and third team All-American was a first team All-MPSF Tournament selection last year. Azevedo currently ranks fifth all-time in career scoring with 144 goals. Azevedo is shooting 39 percent on the season with 34 steals and 25 assists.
HAWKINS DEFENDS THE NET
More than in past seasons, the 49ers are dependent on a strong defensive effort from its backend, led by senior goalie Bri Hawkins (San Diego). The school's all-time saves leader with 828 saves has 206 this season, just 30 away from her single-season record she tied in 2003. Hawkins, a MPSF Player of the Week earlier this season, has tallied double digit saves 10 times this year. Hawkins and the 49er defense both rank in the top-10 in total saves and least goals allowed.
WAWRZYNSKI RALLIES
Senior 2-Meter Drue Wawrzynski (Garden Grove) continues to put forth a strong senior season, ranking second on the team with 28 goals. Wawrzynski has earned a team-best 54 earned ejections this season and is shooting 41 percent from the pool. Wawrzynski is a true gamer, having started all 120 games in her career.
WENSMANS EXCELS AT STARTER
Sophomore Christina Wensman (Mercer Island, WA) has exceled since being inserted in the starting lineup six games goal, tallying seven of her 11 goals over the final two weeks of the season. Wensman is shooting 41 percent on the year.
BRADEN HAS ALL-AROUND GAME
The team's leading passer, Alison Braden (Calgary) can also score as the junior is fourth on the team wiht 24 goals and has a team-best 36 assists. |
