Michigan to Travel to Barbara Kalbus Invitational This Weekend

NOTE: This release was updated twice on Feb. 23, including 10:15 p.m. due to multiple late scheduling changes
» The Wolverines play four games over three days in Irvine, Calif. at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational.
» Michigan is ranked No. 6 nationally in the CWPA Varsity Poll as of Feb. 16.
» U-M opens play against No. 17-ranked Indiana on Friday (Feb. 25) and then will play either No. 5 Hawaii or No. 18 LMU on Saturday (Feb. 26). The game time will be 8:0 a.m. PT regardless of opponent.

THIS WEEK
Fri-Sun., Feb. 25-27 -- Barbara Kalbus Invitational (Irvine, Calif.) | Tournament Central
Friday, Feb. 25 -- vs. No. 17 Indiana, 3 p.m. PT
Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 26 -- vs. No. 5 Hawaii or No. 18 LMU, 8 a.m. PT
Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 26 -- vs. TBD, 1:30, 2:45 or 4 p.m. PT
Sunday, Feb. 27 -- vs. TBD, Time TBD

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With five top-10 victories so far this season, the No. 6-ranked University of Michigan water polo team makes a return trip to California this weekend (Feb. 25-27) as the Wolverines compete in the Barbara Kalbus Invitational at UC Irvine. Michigan will open play on Friday (Feb. 25) against the No. 17-ranked Indiana Hoosiers and then plays either No. 5 Hawaii or No. 18 LMU on Saturday (Feb. 26). Should Michigan and Hawaii win their opening round games, the teams would meet for the third time in four weeks with each team winning a game.

TEAM NOTES

• Michigan posted a 2-2 record at the UCSD Triton Invitational last week, defeating Pomona Pitzer 14-2 and then-No. 10 UC Davis. That set the stage for a pair of upper-tier opponents in No. 3 UCLA and No. 6 Hawaii. UCLA emerged from the contest against Michigan with a tight 7-6 victory en route to winning the tournament, remaining undefeated and sliding into the No. 1 overall national ranking the next week. Hawaii, which had lost to Michigan the week prior, then outlasted the Wolverines in an epic overtime contest by a score of 14-13.

• Despite losing two matches, Michigan goalie Alex Brown was named the national defensive player of the week after recording 19 saves against Hawaii and 11 saves against UCLA.

• Michigan opened the 2022 campaign with a 3-1 record at the Arizona State University Cross Conference Challenge. The Wolverines defeated top-10 foes Arizona State (No. 4), UC Irvine and Fresno State, and fell to No. 5-ranked Cal.

• In the latest CWPA Varsity Poll on Feb. 16, Michigan was ranked No. 6, just behind Hawaii. U-M and Hawaii have split a pair of games so far this season.

• Michigan's offense is led by fifth-year star Maddie O'Reilly who has demonstrated a balanced scoring effort, leading the team in both goals (24) and assists (15).

• Kayla Barone is close behind with 22 goals while Kata Utassy is right behind O'Reilly with 13 assists.

• Senior Alex Brown has started all 12 games in net for the Wolverines (5-5) and sports a .568 save percentage.

Opponent Preview

Indiana: The Hoosiers enter play at 5-6 overall on the season 2-4 against top-25 opponents.

The Hoosiers lost to Michigan's original tournament opponent, Long Beach State, 12-6, last weekend in Fresno, Calif. as part of an 0-3 weekend tournament.

Other Competition: Other teams competing at the 15-team Triton Invitational are UCLA, Arizona State, UC Davis, Pomona Pitzer, UC Irvine, UCSD, San Diego State, USC , LBSU, LMU, Stanford, Hawaii, UCSB and Indiana. The tournament was originally a 16-team event but Cal had to drop out, forcing multiple schedule revisions.

UP NEXT

Michigan will host the Wolverine Invitational in Ann Arbor, Mich. (March 5-6) as it welcomes Iona, Bucknell, Saint Francis and Salem to Canham Natatorium.