Fresno State Athletics
Friday, April 8
Azusa, CA
11:30 AM PT
Fresno State
at
Azusa Pacific
No. 8 Bulldogs travel South
4/7/2022 3:07:00 PM | Water Polo
Week 12: No. 8 Fresno State (14-7, (5-0 GCC)
at Azusa Pacific 7-13 (1-3 GCC)
Friday, April 8, 2022 • 11:30 a.m. PT • Azusa, Calif.
at No. 18 LMU 12-10 (3-1 GCC)
Saturday, April 9, 2022 • 11 a.m. PT • Los Angeles, Calif.
LIVE STATS: TheFosh.com
BULLDOG BITES
SCOUTING REPORT
Azusa Pacific is 7-13 (1-3 GC) this season, and 1-2 at home. The Cougars are coming off a 17-12 win over Santa Clara.
No. 18 LMU is 12-10 (3-1) this season, and 5-1 at home. The Lions are coming off a 1-3 weekend, with a win over Santa Clara and losses to No. 16 Pacific and No. 1 Stanford.
WELL-BALANCED ATTACK
Fresno State has five players that have scored more than 20 goals this season. Fanni Muzsnay (53), Emily Nicholson (35), Daphne Guevremont (34), Brooke Ochoa (23) and Sienna Jagielski (21) have been a dominant force on offense for the Bulldogs.
FRESHMAN ON FIRE
Freshman Fanni Muzsnay has made an immediate impact on the Bulldogs' offense this season.
The attacker has earned two Golden Coast Conference Player of the Week honors. She one of two players in the conference that have won multiple weekly awards this season.
Muzsnay leads the Bulldogs on the attack with 121 shots and 53 goals.
2022 OUTLOOK
Fresno State enters its fifth season of competition under head coach Natalie Benson. Fresno State returns 13 players from its 2021 roster. The Bulldogs add 11 newcomers including 10 freshmen and one transfer.
Fresno State brings back its top two scorers from 2021 in Emily Nicholson and Daphne Guevremont.
Nicholson is a four-time All-Golden Coast Conference selection and two-time All-American. She is the program leader in goals (161) and drawn exclusions (280). Last season, she recorded 37 goals, 40 points and 68 drawn exclusions.
Guevremont is a two-time All-GCC selection and earned All-American Honorable Mention recognition in 2020. Last season, she logged 35 goals, 24 assists, 59 points and eight field blocks.
In goal, the Bulldogs return Mackenzie Matheny who appeared in 11 games last season. She tabbed 20 saves and three steals.
Fresno State also returns Paula Nieto Jasny who sat out the 2021 season. In 2020, she recorded a 5-3 record as the starting goalie. The Malaga, Spain native had 89 saves, a .492 save percentage and swiped a team-high 22 steals. She recorded three games with 10-plus saves.
The Bulldogs' lone transfer is Valley native Savannah Fitzgerald. She joins Fresno State after helping lead Pacific two regular season Golden Coast Conference titles, two GCC Tournament titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances. She accounted for 155 shots, 72 goals and 89 points during her career with the Tigers.
Fresno State will open its 2022 season at the Arizona State Tournament Jan. 21-23. The Bulldogs will face three Top 10 teams in No. 4 Arizona State, No. 5 Cal, No. 7 UC Irvine and No. 8 Michigan.
'DOGS PICKED TO REPEAT AS GCC CHAMPS
The Fresno State water polo team was chosen to repeat as the Golden Coast Conference champions according to the 2022 GCC Preseason Coaches' Poll, voted on by the league's eight head coaches. The Bulldogs earned six first place votes and 48 total points in the poll.
This marks the first time in program history that Fresno State has been picked as the preseason favorite to win the league.
The Bulldogs check-in at No. 10 in the NCAA preseason rankings, the highest ranking GCC team. Pacific and San Diego State also made the Top 15 at No. 13 and No. 15, respectively.
Fresno State will begin GCC play on Feb. 26 hosting Santa Clara in the Aquatics Center at 1 p.m. PT.
2021 REVIEW
In just its fourth year of competition, Fresno State recorded a historic season. The Bulldogs finished the season with an overall record of 13-6 (6-1 GCC).
The Bulldogs took a piece of the Golden Coast Conference regular season championship after recording a program-best six wins in conference play, finishing in a three-way tie for first place with San Diego State and Pacific. This marked the first GCC regular season title in program history. Head Coach Natalie Benson was named the GCC Coach of the Year.
Concluding regular season play, The Bulldogs tabbed two first team, one second team and two freshman team All-GCC selections. Five is the most honorees that Fresno State has earned in program history.
Daphne Guevremont and Emily Nicholson were named All-GCC First Team honorees. Callie Woodruff earned an All-GCC Second Team nod. Kaitlin Howarth and Cynthia Rosa rounded out the Bulldogs' postseason awards. Howarth was named a GCC All-Freshman First Team selection while Rosa tallied All-Freshman Second Team honors.
Fresno State's stellar play during conference earned the team a spot in the GCC Women's Water Polo Championship, a four-team field with the top four teams earning a bid to the tournament. The Bulldogs secured the top seed in the tournament.
The 'Dogs won their first GCC Tournament Championship in program history with a 14-10 victory over the second-seeded and 13th-ranked San Diego State. Claire Schade led the Bulldogs with five points in the game, scoring a hat trick with two assists. The senior finished the tournament leading the field with eight assists and 12 points to earn Tournament MVP honors. Nicholson led all-scorers in the contest with four goals. Woodruff had a goal, an assist and a steal in the title game. Nicholson and Woodruff joined Schade on the GCC All-Tournament Team.
The Bulldogs made the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance, and earned the first NCAA Tournament win by defeating Cal Lutheran 15-7. Nicholson was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:
Twitter: FresnoStateWP
Instagram: FresnoStateWP
at Azusa Pacific 7-13 (1-3 GCC)
Friday, April 8, 2022 • 11:30 a.m. PT • Azusa, Calif.
at No. 18 LMU 12-10 (3-1 GCC)
Saturday, April 9, 2022 • 11 a.m. PT • Los Angeles, Calif.
LIVE STATS: TheFosh.com
BULLDOG BITES
- Fresno State is ranked No. 8, the highest-ranking in program history.
- Fresno State has been ranked No. 8 for eleven straight weeks.
- Fresno State is 14-7 (5-0 GCC) this season.
- Fresno State has won 11 straight games.
- Fresno State is coming off wins over CBU and No. 20 SDSU.
- Fresno State is averaging 11.9 goals and 31.4 shots per game.
- Fresno State has outscored its opponents 250-186 this season.
- Fresno State has nine players that have scored 10+ goals this season.
- Five Bulldogs have scored 20+ goals this season.
- Goalkeeper Paula Nieto Jasny owns a .491 save percentage and has logged 167 saves.
SCOUTING REPORT
Azusa Pacific is 7-13 (1-3 GC) this season, and 1-2 at home. The Cougars are coming off a 17-12 win over Santa Clara.
No. 18 LMU is 12-10 (3-1) this season, and 5-1 at home. The Lions are coming off a 1-3 weekend, with a win over Santa Clara and losses to No. 16 Pacific and No. 1 Stanford.
WELL-BALANCED ATTACK
Fresno State has five players that have scored more than 20 goals this season. Fanni Muzsnay (53), Emily Nicholson (35), Daphne Guevremont (34), Brooke Ochoa (23) and Sienna Jagielski (21) have been a dominant force on offense for the Bulldogs.
FRESHMAN ON FIRE
Freshman Fanni Muzsnay has made an immediate impact on the Bulldogs' offense this season.
The attacker has earned two Golden Coast Conference Player of the Week honors. She one of two players in the conference that have won multiple weekly awards this season.
Muzsnay leads the Bulldogs on the attack with 121 shots and 53 goals.
2022 OUTLOOK
Fresno State enters its fifth season of competition under head coach Natalie Benson. Fresno State returns 13 players from its 2021 roster. The Bulldogs add 11 newcomers including 10 freshmen and one transfer.
Fresno State brings back its top two scorers from 2021 in Emily Nicholson and Daphne Guevremont.
Nicholson is a four-time All-Golden Coast Conference selection and two-time All-American. She is the program leader in goals (161) and drawn exclusions (280). Last season, she recorded 37 goals, 40 points and 68 drawn exclusions.
Guevremont is a two-time All-GCC selection and earned All-American Honorable Mention recognition in 2020. Last season, she logged 35 goals, 24 assists, 59 points and eight field blocks.
In goal, the Bulldogs return Mackenzie Matheny who appeared in 11 games last season. She tabbed 20 saves and three steals.
Fresno State also returns Paula Nieto Jasny who sat out the 2021 season. In 2020, she recorded a 5-3 record as the starting goalie. The Malaga, Spain native had 89 saves, a .492 save percentage and swiped a team-high 22 steals. She recorded three games with 10-plus saves.
The Bulldogs' lone transfer is Valley native Savannah Fitzgerald. She joins Fresno State after helping lead Pacific two regular season Golden Coast Conference titles, two GCC Tournament titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances. She accounted for 155 shots, 72 goals and 89 points during her career with the Tigers.
Fresno State will open its 2022 season at the Arizona State Tournament Jan. 21-23. The Bulldogs will face three Top 10 teams in No. 4 Arizona State, No. 5 Cal, No. 7 UC Irvine and No. 8 Michigan.
'DOGS PICKED TO REPEAT AS GCC CHAMPS
The Fresno State water polo team was chosen to repeat as the Golden Coast Conference champions according to the 2022 GCC Preseason Coaches' Poll, voted on by the league's eight head coaches. The Bulldogs earned six first place votes and 48 total points in the poll.
This marks the first time in program history that Fresno State has been picked as the preseason favorite to win the league.
The Bulldogs check-in at No. 10 in the NCAA preseason rankings, the highest ranking GCC team. Pacific and San Diego State also made the Top 15 at No. 13 and No. 15, respectively.
Fresno State will begin GCC play on Feb. 26 hosting Santa Clara in the Aquatics Center at 1 p.m. PT.
2021 REVIEW
In just its fourth year of competition, Fresno State recorded a historic season. The Bulldogs finished the season with an overall record of 13-6 (6-1 GCC).
The Bulldogs took a piece of the Golden Coast Conference regular season championship after recording a program-best six wins in conference play, finishing in a three-way tie for first place with San Diego State and Pacific. This marked the first GCC regular season title in program history. Head Coach Natalie Benson was named the GCC Coach of the Year.
Concluding regular season play, The Bulldogs tabbed two first team, one second team and two freshman team All-GCC selections. Five is the most honorees that Fresno State has earned in program history.
Daphne Guevremont and Emily Nicholson were named All-GCC First Team honorees. Callie Woodruff earned an All-GCC Second Team nod. Kaitlin Howarth and Cynthia Rosa rounded out the Bulldogs' postseason awards. Howarth was named a GCC All-Freshman First Team selection while Rosa tallied All-Freshman Second Team honors.
Fresno State's stellar play during conference earned the team a spot in the GCC Women's Water Polo Championship, a four-team field with the top four teams earning a bid to the tournament. The Bulldogs secured the top seed in the tournament.
The 'Dogs won their first GCC Tournament Championship in program history with a 14-10 victory over the second-seeded and 13th-ranked San Diego State. Claire Schade led the Bulldogs with five points in the game, scoring a hat trick with two assists. The senior finished the tournament leading the field with eight assists and 12 points to earn Tournament MVP honors. Nicholson led all-scorers in the contest with four goals. Woodruff had a goal, an assist and a steal in the title game. Nicholson and Woodruff joined Schade on the GCC All-Tournament Team.
The Bulldogs made the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance, and earned the first NCAA Tournament win by defeating Cal Lutheran 15-7. Nicholson was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:
Twitter: FresnoStateWP
Instagram: FresnoStateWP
Players Mentioned
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Goalkeeper
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Center
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Utility
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