49ers to Host Two MPSF Matchups
UC Santa Barbara and UCLA Come to Town at Noon on Saturday and Sunday
February 14, 2008 FULL STATISTICS 49ERS SET TO HOME HOME OPENERS
The 49ers (4-2), following a sixth place finish at the UC San Diego Triton Invite, will host UC Santa Barbara (4-2) on Saturday at noon and top-ranked UCLA (10-0 prior to playing UC Irvine and CS Northridge) on Sunday at noon to open up their home schedule. It will be the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opener for each team. LBSU will then bee on the road for the next seven dates, beginning at the UC Irvine Invitational to close out the month. AT THE HELM
Catharine von Schwarz, a member of the U.S. National Team for eight years, is in her second season as the head coach for LBSU. her overall career record is 12-21, having gone 8-19 last season. Forty-Niner water polo has had winning seasons in five of the last six years and won at least 20 games in three-straight seasons. Nine players all-time have been members of senior national teams, including current freshman Lauren Sieprath. RECAP FROM THE TRITON INVITE
The 49ers finished in sixth place at the Trition Invite, losing to UC Davis 6-4 in the fifth place match. LBSU opened the tournament with an 11-7 win over CS Bakersfield behind Meaghan Leonard, before falling to UC Irvine 7-4. LBSU then rebounded to defeat host UC San Diego 10-7 behind three goals from Dayna Wawrzysnki, before falling to the Aggies. The tournament saw the first glimpses of New Zealand National Teammer Lauren Sieprath, who scored in all four contests and five for the weekend and also added five assists. A LOOK AT THE RANKINGS
Early season rankings has UCLA average an MPSF-best 14.10 goals per game and UCSB coming in second with 12.50 goals per game. The 49ers are ranked ninth in scoring. Defensively, UCLA has the second-best defense (5.20) in the conference, while the 49ers are seventh (6.83 goals allowed). The Gauchos are next to last at 9.17 goals allowed per game. BALANCED SCORING SO FAR
The 49ers have received balanced scoring so far this season with four players with at least eight goals and four different players leading LBSU in scoring this season.Sophomore Cecilia Canetti has 11 goals, while freshman Meaghan Leonard, senior Dayna Wawrzynski and sophomore Branwyn Lee all have eight goals a piece. OH CANADA
Canadian Meaghan Leonard, a member of the Junior program in her home country, is hitting an impressive .571 from the pool this season as one of three players with eight goals this season. Leonard also has the early lead in earned ejections with 13. CANETTI SCORING FOR THE 49ERS
Sophomore Cecilia Canetti, a member of the Brazilian National Team, currently leads the 49ers in scoring with 11 goals this season. She has scored at a .344 clip this year. She has led the 49ers in scoring three times in six contests. HOW YOUNG THEY ARE
A number of the younger 49ers are seeing extended playing time early, led by starting goalie Kristen Straiger (6.7 goals allowed per game), and fellow freshmen Kelsie Emerick, Lauren Sieprah and Meaghan Leonard. Sophomore Branwyn Lee has scored eight goals this season and his hitting .727 of her shots. Emerick has twice led the 49ers in assists in a game. YOUNGSTERS IN 2008
The 49ers feature 17 underclassmen on the roster of which 12 are freshmen. Three freshmen were starters this past weekend in: state MVP and goalie Kristen Straiger, All-CIF pick Kelsie Emerick and Canadian Junior National team member Meaghan Leonard. FAMILY TREES
The 49ers have a few younger siblings with strong family trees. Senior Dayna Wawrzynski is the younger sister of Drue and daughter of Paul, both 49er All-Americans, while freshman Brooke Figge is the younger sister of Ericka, an All-American at USC and a member of the U.S. National Team. Sieprath's sister Anna is the captain for the New Zealand National Team. Drue Wawrzynski was also on the senior U.S. National Team for a year as well. INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
This year's top returning scorer is sophomore Cecilia Canetti, a MPSF All-Freshman pick from last year, that scored 24 goals in 2007. She is one of three players with international experience, as she has teamed with her sister and former 49er All-American Marina Canetti on the Brazilian National Team. Freshmen Lauren Sieprath (New Zealand) and Meaghan Leonard (Canada) continue the 49ers tradition of bringing in foreign national teammers, as Tara Campbell (Canada) and Roberta Stewart (New Zealand) were both All-Americans for the 49ers. | 
