April 13, 2012

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LOS ANGELES - The LMU women's water polo team will return to action this Sunday, April 15 when they host second-ranked UCLA at the Burns Aquatics Center with game time set for 12 noon. It begins the final three-game homestand for the Lions to end the regular season.

After two weeks off, the Lions sit at 15-8 overall and a perfect 10-0 in the Western Water Polo Association. The Lions have won nine of their last 10 games, sweeping four games at the Roadrunner Invitational in their last action Mar. 31-April 1.

LMU have three games left in the regular season - all at home - before the 2012 WWPA Championships, which will take place at UC San Diego in La Jolla, Calif., April 27-29.

It begins with the Bruins, LMU's 11th top-10 opponent of the season. The Bruins saw their nearly month-long run as the No. 1 team in the nation come to an end with an 8-6 loss to Cal last weekend. It was just their second loss of the season as they enter the week at 16-2, facing No. 6 UC Irvine on the road on Saturday.

The Lions continue to stress defense and this meeting could be defensive minded. LMU, backed by goalie Elise Ponce, allow just seven goals a game. Ponce averages just under 10 saves a game. UCLA is one of the best in their conference, recording 5.11 goals against average through 18 matches, the second-lowest mark in the MPSF.

UCLA has held its opposition to four goals or fewer in eight matches. The Lions have done it five times.

Leading the Lions on the season is senior Casey Flacks, who does a little of everything in serving as team captain. She leads the team in assists with 40, is second in steals with 32, leads the team in kickouts drawn with 37 and has added 20 goals.

Flacks now has 135 assists to shatter the all-time record. Her 215 career kickouts drawn is second and the 171 steals is ranked fourth.

While defense continues to be the Lions' focus, their offense continues to show signs of life. Led by sophomore Alexandra Honny's 57 goals, the Lions are averaging 11.7 goals per contest.

Honny's 57 goals is tied for 13th all-time for goals in a single season and gives her 105 in her two seasons at LMU. The career total is already ranked 14th all-time at LMU.

Senior Kimberly Benedetti continues her march atop that record. With 43 goals this season, she has 202 in her career. She is just the fifth player in program history to top 200, ranking her fifth all-time. She needs three goals to reach fourth all-time.

- GO LIONS -