Santa Clara, Calif.- After closing out their regular season at Sonoma St. last weekend, the Broncos are ready for postseason play. Santa Clara (14-16 overall, 5-2 WWPA) has earned the No. 3 seed and will host No. 6 seed Cal St. Monterey Bay on Fri., April 26 at 2 pm. Depending on results, Santa Clara will play one game Saturday and Sunday following Frday's action. For all the WWPA matchups and latest results from the weekend, visit Santa Clara's WWPA Tournament Central Page.
This will be the second time Santa Clara has hosted WWPA's. The Broncos hosted the championship tournament in 2009 when they reached the championship game for the first time in program history, ultimately falling to Loyola Marymount. Head coach Keith Wilbur is very appreciative of having the opportunity to host the tournament on campus.
"Hosting WWPA's is awesome," said Wilbur. "Thanks to Jack and Joanie Sullivan and many other donors, we have a great aquatic center. It is fun to see an important tournament with an NCAA bid on the line being played at Santa Clara, and it definitely helps our team to be able to play at home. We are very comfortable with the surroundings, and the home crowds are great!"
The Broncos earned themselves a No. 3 seed by going 5-2 in designated WWPA conference games. The Broncos have seen the Sea Otters twice this season, most recently coming on Senior Day on April 7 at the Sullivan Aquatic Center where SCU pulled out a 12-10 win. With the Broncos difficult schedule this season in which they played 12 ranked opponents, SCU feels prepared for this weekends big tournament.
We are very excited about WWPA's," said Wilbur. "Everything we work on throughout the season leads up to this tournament. Our goal is to be playing our best water polo at WWPA's, and if we do, I think we are capable of winning every game we play in."
Earlier this week, Santa Clara was rewarded with five plays being selected to All-Conference WWPA teams. Freshman Julia Peters (San Jose, Calif./ Presentation) was one of two freshman to make First-Team All-WWPA, while seniors Stephanie Clements (San Carlos, Calif./ Sacred Heart Prep) and Alison Norris (Saratoga, Calif./ Saratoga) and junior Claire Eadington (Corona Del Mar, Calif./ Corona Del Mar) were named Honorable Mention. Elizabeth Anderson (Palo Alto, Calif., Gunn) was named to the WWPA All-Freshman Team.
Julia Peters earned her place on the first team by pacing the Broncos with 44 goals, 40 steals and 57 earned ejections. Elizabeth Anderson has tallied an impressive season with 31 goals, 30 steals while earning 54 earned ejections. Clements has turned away 175 shots this season, good for 6th in the WWPA.
Check back all weekend long on SantaClaraBroncos.com for the latest on WWPA's.
