Oct. 3, 2005

MALIBU, Calif. - Fresh off a 3-1 homestand, the No. 6-ranked Pepperdine water polo team is slated to open Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) play under the lights when it travels to Irvine, Calif., to take on #7 UC Irvine at 7 p.m. (PT) at the Anteater Aquatics Complex.

Pepperdine (9-3) enters conference play with a two-game win streak after defeating top-ranked USC, 5-4, and Whittier College, 17-13, Saturday afternoon in Malibu. The Waves are 2-0 this season against UCI after claiming a 7-4 victory at the SoCal Tournament, in Irvine, and a 7-5 decision in Malibu on September 24.

Sophomore Grant Miller has scored a team-leading 22 goals in 12 games this season, while Adam Hewko and Jesse Smith have accounted for 21 and 20 of the Waves' 105 total goals this season, respectively. Minding the net, senior Ben Tait is 8-3 on the season with 85 saves, 7.73 per game.

UCI (5-6) is led in scoring by Dreason Berry's 26 goals and Tim Hutten's 20. In goal, the Anteaters have received 41 stops from Matt Garcia and 38 from Joe Wynne. UC Irvine is coming off a 10-8 loss to UCLA on Saturday.