By Gabriel Luis (@gabelun):
San Jose State’s women’s water polo team heads to the Loyola Marymount University Invitational in Los Angeles Friday.
The invite gives the Spartans (5-11) an opportunity to prepare for their first conference matchup against UCLA Sunday.
SJSU will face host LMU (11-10, 2-0 GCC) and will seek to end the Lions’ three-match win streak.
Junior Guara Garcia Delgado looks to stay hot in the pool as she enters the weekend carrying the team with 19 goals in her first year as a Spartan.
Five Spartans have scored double-digit goals this season, with junior driver Sheila Jensen and freshman 2M Lili Urvari helping out Delgado with 33 combined goals.
Following the matchup against LMU, SJSU then shares the pool with Fresno Pacific University (8-9, 2-1 WWPA).
The most dangerous Sunbird is sophomore Sam Witt, who leads the team in attacking with 33 goals and 28 assists.
Saturday’s games against Marist University (11-10, 4-0 MAAC) and No. 9 Michigan (18-7) will be the most challenging leading into conference play.
Michigan will be going in with an 11-game win streak. Wolverine sophomore UT Maddy Steere leads her squad with a 45 goals on the year.
Senior goalkeeper Katelynn Thompson and Tayler Peters have their work cut out for them.
This weekend will be one of SJSU’s biggest tests and will potentially showcase how they will perform for conference play.