No. 17 Pacific Travels To No. 15 UC Davis For Final Big West Matchup

April 15, 2011

Stockton, Calif. – Entering the final weekend of Big West regular season action, Pacific’s women’s water polo team (17-11, 1-3 Big West) travels 60 miles north to take on regional opponent No. 15 UC Davis (17-10, 1-3 Big West).

Last weekend the Tigers returned to Chris Kjeldsen Pool after spendign six weeks on the road and defeated No. 13 Long Beach State (LBSU), 5-3, on Saturday, April 9. In the game against the 49ers, Pacific was paced by Mandy King who found the back of the net twice while Allison King, Elise Martin and Brittany Lloyd scored once. After winning their first Big West game on the season the Tigers returned to the pool on Sunday, April 10, looking to sweep their southern California counterparts. However Pacific came up short against then ranked No. 10 UC Irvine and dropped an 11-6 decision to the Anteaters. Seniors Dara Tawarahara and Bethany Quertermous who scored two goals apiece in the Tigers’ loss, while Allison King and Mandy King found the back of the net once. Freshman Michele Relton recorded a total of 20 saves on the weekend, which included an 11 block performance in Pacific’s win over LBSU.

Pacific Record Book
With only 27 games under her belt in orange and black, freshman Michele Relton is already leaving her mark in the record book of the women’s water program. To date Relton has recorded 289 saves which puts her at No. 6 on the all-time career saves list and No. 2 on the all-time single season saves list. With just one save this weekend at UC Davis, Michele will tie Brooke Millar of the 2010 squad for the No. 1 spot on the all-time single season saves list with 290 blocks. Relton will also tie Millar for the No. 5 spot on all-time career saves lists. Earlier this season Relton set a new program high for single game saves when she recorded 18 blocks against Santa Clara on February 26, 2011.

Also moving up in Pacific’s record book ranks is senior Dara Tawarahara. This season Tawarahara began the year with 179 career goals, landing her at the No. 5 spot on the all-time career goals scored list. In her final season at Pacific, Tawarahara has tallied 44 goals in 27 goals to bring her career total to 223 goals to move into the No. 2 spot ahead of Jessica Schroeder who scored 183 goals for Pacific from 2001-03.

Collegiate Water Polo Association
In the latest poll released by the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) the Tigers jumped two spots to No. 17 after picking up a 5-3 win over then ranked No. 13 Long Beach State. During the 2010 regular season Pacific has been ranked anywhere from No. 17 to No. 20 in the national poll. This marks the second time this season the Tigers have reached the No. 17 spot in the top-20 poll.

Pacific travels to No. 15 UC Davis on Saturday, April 16 to take on the Aggies at 12 p.m.

CWPA Top-20 Poll