Dec. 3, 2009

Postseason Release in Printable/PDF Format

Interactive Release:

Postseason play the first week of December has become a tradition for LMU men's water polo, and 2009 that tradition continues. LMU is back in the National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship for the seventh time in nine years and have earned the No. 3 seed in the 2009 edition of the tournament to be hosted by Princeton University at DeNunzio Pool Dec. 5-6. The tournament will have a southern California feel, as USC and UCLA join LMU, along with host Princeton, at this year's final four of men's water polo. The Lions will open with UCLA in the second semifinal on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. Watch the Lions' semifinal live online at:

All-Access

INSIDE THE LIONS
The seventh-ranked Lions enter the 2009 National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship at 19-7 overall and 14-0 in the WWPA this season. The Lions winning percentage of .731 is currently the best in program history. The Lions have been one of the nation's leaders all season in defense, allowing just 155 goals this season in 23 games (just 5.96 per game). It is ranked fourth, just behind USC (5.18), UCLA (5.60) and Stanford (5.67). Junior goalie Andy Stevens is a big reason why, ranking fourth nationally in saves with 297 (12.38 saves per game) while allowing just 6.04 goals per game. Offensively the Lions have been balanced, with sophomore Edgaras Asajavicius leading the way with 44 goals. Ikaika Aki has been an all-around force for the Lions, ranking second with 36 goals (career-high) while adding a team-best 26 assists, 68 steals (career-high) and 48 field blocks (career-high). Junior Tibor Forai, who led the Lions in scoring the previous two seasons, is tied with Aki in scoring with 36 goals in 20 games.

POSTSEASON
For the seventh time in the last nine years, the LMU men's water polo team will be representing the Western Water Polo Association in the National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship. On Sunday night, the NCAA released the bracket for the 2009 Championship to be held at Princeton University's DeNunzio Pool and the Lions have earned the No. 3 seed and will face No. 2 UCLA. The Lions (19-7) and Bruins (22-6) will face off in the second semifinal on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. (2 p.m. PT). With all the history between the two programs in the NCAA tournament the last nine years, they have only met once in the postseason. UCLA won 7-5 in the semifinals in 2001. No. 1 seed USC (24-2) and No. 4 seed and host Princeton (15-11) will play in the second semifinal at 3 p.m. (12 p.m. PT). UCLA earned the automatic bid from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation while USC, also from the MPSF, earned the one at-large bid. Princeton earned the automatic bid from the Collegiate Water Polo Association while the Lions claimed the WWPAs bid with a 5-4 win over UCSD. Consolation and championship games will be held on Sunday, Dec. 6. The consolation game will be at 12 noon (9 a.m. PT) while the championship game will be held at 2 p.m. (11 a.m. PT), and broadcast live on CBS College Sports Network. On the season, the Lions faced USC twice, UCLA once and did not face Princeton, who upset Navy to win the CWPA. UCLA won the MPSF in overtime over Cal and defeated USC in the semifinals. USC took third with a win over Stanford. LMU fell to USC 11-6 on Sept. 6 at the UC San Diego Invitational and then at USC, 11-4, on Oct. 24. The Trojans were ranked No. 1 in both meetings. The Lions fell to UCLA on Oct. 22 at the Burns Center, 10-5. The Lions last faced Princeton in 2005, falling 8-3.