Michigan Out West Again for Three-Game Set at San Diego State

Saturday, March 6

San Diego, Calif.

Noon PT

Michigan

San Diego State

(Michigan Photography)

Michigan Out West Again for Three-Game Set at San Diego State

3/4/2021 1:24:00 PM | Water Polo

By: Brad Rudner

THIS WEEK
Sat-Sun., March 6-7 -- at #16 San Diego State (San Diego, Calif.)

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The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan water polo team (5-3) returns to the west coast this weekend, playing No. 16 San Diego State (0-8) for a three-game set at the Aztec Aquaplex. The two teams will play at noon and 2 p.m. PST on Saturday (March 6) before concluding the series on Sunday (March 7) at 1 p.m. PST.

Team Notes

• The Wolverines are 5-3 on the season, coming off a 1-3 weekend against two top-five opponents in Tempe, Ariz. U-M beat Arizona State, 12-10, last Friday (Feb. 26), notching the program's first win over a top-five opponent in nearly four years.

• Michigan is ranked No. 5 in the latest CWPA Varsity Top 25 poll, released on Wednesday (March 3).

• Senior Maddie O'Reilly (Player of the Week), graduate student Heidi Ritner (Defensive Player of the Week) and freshman Kata Utassy (Rookie of the Week) earned CWPA weekly honors, announced on Wednesday (March 3). [ Awards and Honors ]

• Senior Maddie O'Reilly has led the way for the Wolverines, ranking tops on the team in goals (10), assists (nine), points (19) and shots (26). Three other Wolverines have amassed double-digit points behind O'Reilly: junior Ava Morrant (13), freshman Kata Utassy (12) and senior Kathy Rogers (10).

• Freshman Kata Utassy is carving out a larger role in the offense, scoring five goals in last week's action against Arizona State and USC. She bagged her first career hat trick in Michigan's second game vs. No. 1 USC last Sunday (Feb. 28). Freshman Libby Alsemgeest also is making an impact, scoring eight goals with a whopping 16 drawn exclusions through the team's first eight games.

• Graduate student Heidi Ritner started in the cage for three of the team's games last weekend, tallying 27 saves and 10 steals. Sophomore Alex Brown drew the other starting nod -- against No. 1 USC -- and played valiantly, making eight saves.

Opponent Preview

San Diego State: The Aztecs are 0-8 on the season, recently coming off two one-goal losses to UC Santa Barbara last Saturday. Among NCAA ranks, Karli Canale is tied for third in goals (24), Emily Bennet is tied for second in steals (18) and Zoe Morgan is second in saves (60). San Diego State went 9-9 in the shortened 2020 season. The Aztecs are ranked No. 16 in the latest CWPA Varsity Top 25 poll.

Michigan is 8-13 all-time against San Diego State. The two teams have not met since 2016.

Up Next

Sat-Sun., March 13-14 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), 11 a.m.