 |  |
Pacific WWP Opens Home Slate, Plays Pink
Stockton, Calif. -
Pacific Match Notes l Coach Thomson Interview
Pacific on Facebook l Pacific on Twitter
Gameday Central
Date: Feb. 4-5, 2012
Site: Chris Kjeldsen Aquatics Complex
Time: 11:30 a.m. (PT) Saturday; 9 a.m. (PT) Sunday
Series vs. CSU East Bay: Pacific leads 8-1
Series vs. Azusa Pacific: First meeting
Series vs. Wagner: Pacific leads 3-0
Series vs. Fresno Pacific: Pacific leads 4-0
Tournament Website: PacificTigers.com
Live Video Broadcast: PacificTigers.com
Tigers Play Pink
This weekend's matches will also serve as Pacific Women's Water Polo's "Pink" games. The Tigers will wear pink in an effort to support breast cancer awareness. The team encourages its fans and supporters to wear pink to Saturday's and Sunday's matches. A donation may also be made to breast cancer research when entering Chris Kjeldsen Aquatics Complex.
Live Video To Debut
For the first time in program history, the Tigers' home matches will be broadcast live over the Internet. Pacific fans and supporters will be able to watch a live video feed of the Tigers' matches at PacificTigers.com.
"We as a program are very excited about doing this," head coach Megan Thomson said. "It will allow parents and family to watch their children play from around the world, not to mention more exposure for the sport of water polo. And to be able to tell recruits that all of our home matches will be broadcast free over the Internet is very cool."
Power Plays
Sophomore Elise Martin led all scorers with 12 goals at the Spartan Invitational on Jan. 21-22. She had a five-goal outing in the Tigers' win against Santa Clara and notched four scores in an exhibition victory over Fraser Valley ... Sophomore goalkeeper Michele Relton had an impressive weekend in the cage for Pacific. In four matches, she tallied 43 blocks. She had 14 saves versus Fraser Valley and 11 saves against Santa Clara ... All seven of Pacific's newcomers saw time at the Spartan Invitational. Rebecca Wright, Taylor Adair, Brydie Pye, Kelsey Carter, and Noelle Mann all recorded at least one start. Mann, Pye, and Carter all found the back of the cage for their first collegiate goals ... Head Coach Megan Thomson improved to 5-5 (.500) all-time versus Santa Clara while Pacific evened its series record with the Broncos to 8-8 (.500) all-time.
In The Polls
Pacific begins the 2012 season just outside the top 20 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association Preseason Poll. The Tigers are receiving one vote and are one of five teams receiving votes. Pacific began last season ranked 18th and ended the year ranked 20th.
Pacific In Home Openers
Pacific is entering its 17th season as a varsity sport and is 5-11 (.313) in home openers. Under sixth-year head coach Megan Thomson, the Tigers are 3-2 (.600) and have won their last three home openers. Last season, Pacific defeated Cal State East Bay 7-6 in its home opener behind a hat trick from then-senior Dara Tawarahara and seven saves from sophomore Michele Relton.
Series vs. CSU East Bay
This is the ninth meeting between Pacific and Cal State East Bay with the Tigers holding a commanding 8-1 lead. The two squads first met during the 1999 season and Pacific won the first five matches in the series before the Pioneers win in 2008. The Tigers are currently on a three-game winning streak versus CSUEB. Coach Thomson is 4-1 all-time versus Cal State East Bay. The two teams last played Feb. 5, 2011, a match that Pacific won 7-6 behind a hat trick from then-senior Dara Tawarahara and seven blocks from sophomore Michele Relton. The match was close throughout as the Tigers took a two-goal lead late in the fourth then held on for the win.
Series vs. Azusa Pacific
The is the first-ever meeting between the Tigers and Azusa Pacific. The Cougars added women's water polo as a varsity sport in 2009 and are 25-47 (.347) all-time, including a 15-15 (.500) mark last season. Azusa Pacific is 0-2 (.000) all-time against Big West Conference teams.
Series vs. Wagner
This is the fourth meeting between Pacific and Wagner with the Tigers never having lost to the Seahawks. The two teams first met in 2004 with Pacific winning 11-8. They last met Mar. 12, 2011, in San Diego, as the Tigers emerged with an 8-6 victory thanks to three goals from then-senior Dara Tawahara and 12 blocks from sophomore Michele Relton. Coach Thomson is undefeated in two tries against Wagner.
Series vs. Fresno Pacific
This is the fifth meeting between the Tigers and Fresno Pacific with the Tigers winning each of the first four match-ups. The series began during the 2008 season with a 19-2 Pacific victory. The two teams last played each other on Mar. 18, 2011, with the Tigers winning 10-3 behind a hat trick from then-senior Dara Tawaraha and two goals from sophomore Elise Martin. Sophomore Michele Relton recorded eight saves in three quarters of work. Pacific has reached double-figures in goals in each of the four previous matches.
Charting Coach Thomson
Pacific women's water polo coach Megan Thomson is 66-97 (.405) in six years on the deck for the Tigers. She won her 50th match on Feb. 13, 2011, after leading Pacific to a dominating 14-6 victory over George Washington at the Princeton Invitational in New Jersey. Her first victory as a head coach came against Cal State East Bay on Feb. 18, 2007, when the Tigers won 16-13.
