Women's Water Polo To Play UCLA In NCAA First Round In Indianapolis, IN

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Indianapolis, IN – The Wagner women's water polo team, champions of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), will play the No. 1-ranked UCLA Bruins of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in an NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship first-round matchup on Friday, May 12 at 12:00 pm in Indianapolis, IN.

The fourth time proved to be the charm in last weekend's play-in game for Wagner as the Seahawks defeated their higher-ranked opponent, UC San Diego, 6-5 for the second time in 2017. With the win on May 6, the women's water polo team joins the 2012 Seahawk football team (31-20 win over Colgate) as the only Wagner squads to ever win an NCAA playoff game.

"We are thrilled to have won an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in Wagner women's water polo history," said Seahawk seventh-year head coach Chris Radmonovich. "We look forward to facing a well-coached and talented UCLA team in the first round. We feel fortunate to get to spend this next week together as a team and will get to work right away!"

MAAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year Kimberly Watson (Pointe-Claire, Quebec / John Rennie) fired the go-ahead goal for Wagner with one minute remaining in the third stanza. In addition to her lone goal on the day, Watson won three sprints and collected a team-high four steals.

Junior Elise Begg (Newbury Park, CA) paced the Green & White with four points on two goals and two assists, while sophomore Erica Hardy (Montreal, Quebec / St. Thomas) added a pair of tallies and three steals.

The eight-team bracket, consisting of Wagner, UCLA, UC Irvine, California, Stanford, Pacific, USC, and Michigan will be held in the Indiana University Natatorium, with the winners to meet in the second round on May 13.

Wagner will bring a 26-10 record and a 17-game winning streak into Friday's contest while UCLA, who won its 11th MPSF title on April 30, enters the weekend with a 22-1 mark and 12-game winning streak.

The Bruins' single loss on the season came in a 10-9 defeat to USC in the semifinal round of the Barbara Kalbus Invitations on February 25.

The Green & White are 0-1 in program history against UCLA. The Bruins defeated the Seahawks 22-2 in the program's third year of existence back on May 13, 2005.

Unlike previous seasons, losers of the first round will return to their respective campuses instead of entering the consolation bracket, while the winners will move on to the semifinal round.

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