Waves Host MPSF Championships This Weekend
11/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
UPCOMING — The No. 4 Pepperdine men’s water polo team (19-6, 6-2) hosts the MPSF Championships this weekend. The Waves finished their regular season in tie for second place with Stanford after upsetting No. 2 UCLA last week.
PEPPERDINE VS. UCSB (Nov. 28, 1:30 p.m.) at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool — The Waves meet No. 7 UCSB (15-10, 4-4) in the first round of the MPSF Championships.
Pepperdine posts a 2-0 record against the Gaucho’s for the 2008 season. The two teams last met on Nov. 16 at UCSB (10-9).
UCLA RECAP — There wasn’t any better way to celebrate senior day. The Pepperdine men’s water polo team upset No. 2 UCLA , 9-5, Saturday afternoon, at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool.
With 14 inner-city children from Chance for Children cheering them on with signs and the bleachers packed with family, friends and local fans, the Waves finished their regular season with a win at home. Their MPSF record is 6-2, with an overall record of 19-5.
Five seniors were honored prior to the game for their outstanding contributions to the water polo program. Not surprisingly, all five were an integral part of a huge win for the Waves. Grant Miller (Laverne, Calif./Laverne HS) scored a hat-trick for the Waves. Matt MacDonell (Redwood City, Calif./ Bellarmine Prep) notched two goals and Adam Hewko (Irvine, Calif./Servite HS) scored one goal in the fourth period to help keep the Waves on top. Jack Curley (Sonoma, Calif./Santa Rosa CC) traded in his goalie hat and played defense to help stop at least one UCLA goal. Matt Digges (Coronado, Calif./ Coronado HS) played strong defense and assisted on a Wave goal.
Junior J.P. MacDonell (Redwood City, Calif./ Bellarmine Prep) also scored a hat-trick for Pepperdine. Freshman John Hahn (Sydney, Australia) was responsible for 12 saves in the goalie cage and Chay Lapin had four saves for the Bruins.
MILLER NAMED MPSF PLAYER OF THE WEEK — Senior Grant Miller is the third Wave this season to be selected as a MPSF Player of the Week (Nov. 24). Miller had an outstanding match against UCLA scoring a hat-trick to help the Waves upset UCLA 9-5. Junior J.P. MacDonell was selected as the MPSF Player of the Week for Nov. 10. Freshman John Hahn was selected as the MPSF Player of the Week for the last week in September. Hahn had 16 saves against California to help the Waves upset the Golden Bears 7-5.
PHOTO GALLERIES — Galleries are up for the Cal- Claremont Matches NorCal Tournament, LMU Match, 2008 Chance for Children and the Triton Invitational. Go to the left hand side of the water polo web page to access the galleries.
PEPPERDINE IN THE POLLS — The Waves are No. 4 in the national rankings this week, according to the latest NCAA Div. I polls.
MPSF RANKINGS — Four Waves make the top 25 for goals scored in the MPSF individual statistics this week. J.P. MacDonell moved up to the No. 4 spot this week for goals scored (50) with a 2.00 game avg. An injured Grant Miller moved up ato No. 6 with 44 goals and a 1.91 average. Adam Hewko moved to the No. 10 spot with 40 goals and a 1.60 average. Mat MacDonell made it back on the list at No. 25 with 30 goals and a 1.30 average. John Hahn No. 8 for Goal keeper saves with 115 and a 8.21 average. Jack Curley holds the No. 11 spot with 67 saves and a 5.15 average.
The Waves are ranked No. 4 for team goals with 267 and No. 5 for team defense with 184 goals scored against them.
COACH KOCUR — Coach Jack Kocur is in his third year as head coach. Kocur took over the position from Terry Schroeder when he took a leave of absence to serve as the assistant coach for the U.S. National Team in 2006. Kocur was a member of the Waves 1997 national championship team, earning first All-American honors as a senior. Kocur spent four seasons as an assistant under Schroeder.
COACH O’BRIEN — Coach Gary O'Brien begins his first season as assistant coach. O’Brien played for UCLA and then went on to play semi-professionally in Australia. He has eight years of coaching experience at the high school, community college, university and club level.
PEPPERDINE HISTORY — In its 33 seasons, the Pepperdine water polo program has posted an overall record of 622-375-8, including a 151-104 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation record. The Waves have posted 14 20+ win seasons and advanced to the NCAA Championships 12 times, claiming the program’s lone national title in 1997.
SENSATIONAL SENIORS — Pepperdine’s five seniors are expected to be the core of the 2008 team. Four of the five redshirted their junior season in order to be a part of this season’s team: attacker and 2007 All-American Adam Hewko (Irvine, Calif./Servite, HS), centerback Matt Digges (Coronado, Calif./Coronado HS), centerback and two-time All-American Grant Miller (La Verne, Calif./La Verne HS) and utility Matt MacDonell (Redwood City, Calif./Bellarmine Prep.) . Jack Curley (Sonoma, Calif./Santa Rosa CC) is expected to be a top contender for the starting goalkeeper position.
AMAZING COMEBACK — Adam Hewko returns after taking spring semester off to train with the USA National Team. Hewko underwent shoulder surgery in January and suffered a life-threatening complication which kept him out of training for several months. The Waves top scorer (59 goals for the 2007 season) made it to the final cuts for the USA Olympic Water Polo Team despite his late start. Hewko is fully recovered and should be a major scoring force for the Waves this season. Hewko was ranked No. 30 nationally last season for goals scored.
OUTSTANDING JUNIORS — Attacker J.P. MacDonell (Redwood City, Calif./Bellarmine Prep.) was the second highest scorer for the Waves last season with 58 goals and finished the season ranked No. 35 nationally for goals. Macdonell is a two-time All-MPSF honorable mention selection. Center Clayton Snyder (Seal Beach, Calif./ Los Alamitos, HS) returns as one of the top ranked scorers in the MPSF finishing the season with 42 goals.
UP AND COMING SOPHOMORES — Attackers Andrew Milcovich (Walnut Creek, Calif./Bellarmine HS) and Taylor Watson (Alamo, Calif./Monte Vista HS) are expected to be major contributors to the Waves offense this season.
INTERNATIONAL PLAYER — Freshman John Hahn (Sydney, Australia) joins the Waves as another top contender for the starting goalkeeper position. Hahn has extensive experience with the Australian National Junior Team.
WAVES HOST MPSF CHAMPIONSHIPS — The Malibu campus will be the setting for the 2008 MPSF Championships on November 27-30. Once again, the top teams in the nation — California, USC, Stanford and UCLA with the addition of UC Santa Barbara, Pepperdine, Long Beach State, UC Irvine and Pacific — meet to determine the 2008 MPSF champion.
