FRESNO, Calif. - The No. 3 Fresno State water polo team returns home for the first time in four weeks to host the Bulldog Mini on Friday and Saturday at the Aquatics Center.
Parking and admission to all Fresno State water polo games are free of charge.
Bulldog Mini
Feb. 16-17, 2024 • Fresno, Calif. • Fresno State Aquatics Center
Friday: vs. Fresno Pacific, 6 p.m. PT
Live Stats: The FOSH
Live Stream:MW Network
Saturday: vs. Whittier College, 11:30 a.m. PT
Live Stats: The FOSH
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
Bulldog Bones
Fresno State is 8-3 this season.
Fresno State looks to remain undefeated at home this season, entering the weekend with a 4-0 record at the Aquatics Center in 2024.
The Bulldogs earned their highest ranking in program history at No. 3 in the last two CWPA national team rankings.
Fresno State is third in the rankings behind No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Hawai'i
Fresno State's No. 3 ranking is the highest by a Bulldog program in the regular season since the turn of the century. The last highest ranked team on campus throughout the regular season was the Bulldog softball program that ranked No. 2 in the nation in 1999.
The Bulldogs also earned the highest ranking by a program in GCC women's water polo history at No. 3.
Fresno State has defeated the top-ranked team on two occasions this season with a 11-10 win over Stanford on Jan. 21 and a 8-7 win over USC on Feb. 3.
Fresno State became just the second school since water polo became an NCAA sport in 2001 to defeat both Stanford and USC in the same season. Second-ranked Hawai'i became the third with a win over both teams in 2024 as well.
Senior goal keeper Paula Nieto Jasny was the Week 3 GCC Player of the Week for her efforts at the Triton Invitational. Wagner College transfer Abbey Simshauser was the Week 1 GCC Player of the Week for her efforts in the Polo-Palooza. Fresno State has earned two of the four GCC Player of the Week nods this season.
On the attack
Fresno State has had a balanced attack to start the season with sophomore and 2023 GCC Newcomer of the Year Hailey Andress leading the way with 29 goals. Wagner College transfer Abbey Simshauser follows with 23 goals and junior Brooke Ochoa adds 15. Freshman Caitlyn Mossman is also scoring in double digits with 12 goals on the year.
Andress has led the 'Dogs in scoring in five games this season.
Andress ties for the conference lead with 29 goals.
Andress is second in the GCC with 2.6 goals per game this season (11 games).
Ochoa became the third Bulldog to score 100 career goals earlier this season.
Defense plays a big part
Fresno State has allowed just 7.8 goals per game to its opponents this season, a key to the successful season this far.
In the cage, senior goalkeeper Paula Nieto Jasny has done what she is known for. With 99 saves on the year, Nieto Jasny ranks first in the GCC and second in the nation in saves. She has surrendered 7.89 goals to opponents for another mark that ranks second in the nation. Nieto Jasny was named the GCC Player of the Week for her efforts at the Triton Invitational, which included wins over No. 6 UC Irvine and No. 1 USC. Nieto Jasny recorded eight saves against the Trojans, and held them to just seven goals for their least in a game since the 2023 MPSF Championship game against Stanford.
More than just Paula's efforts
Out of the cage, the defensive efforts see four Bulldogs with double-digit steals. Simshauser leads the way with 20 steals. Andress has 16, Ochoa 11 and Nieto Jasny has 10. Simshauser is T6th in the nation in steals, and T1st in the GCC standings.
Fresno State is 6-1 this season when allowing less than 10 goals to its opponents.
Simshauser is just six steals away from breaking into the Top 10 for single season steals.
Ochoa set the program record with 41 steals in 2023.
A look at the field
Fresno State will face Fresno Pacific on Friday night and Whittier College on Saturday. Other teams in attendance include Azusa Pacific, UC Merced and Caltech.
The Bulldogs lead the all-time series with FPU, 8-0. This season, FPU is off to a 2-2 start with wins over the University of the Redlands and UC Merced. In addition to Fresno State, the Sunbirds will also face Caltech and Azusa Pacific this weekend.
Saturday will be the first-ever meeting between Fresno State and Whittier College. The Poets are 1-3 this season with a win over Ottawa University (Arizona). They have faced Marist College, UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego. In addition to Fresno State, the Poets will also face UC Merced this weekend.