SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The UC Santa Barbara Women's Water Polo team (1-17, 0-6 Big West) returns home for the final time this season on Saturday, hosting No. 16 UC San Diego (10-11, 2-4 Big West) in a Senior Day matchup at Santa Barbara High School.
After the contest, the Gauchos will honor their lone graduating student-athlete, redshirt senior and co-captain
Cami Mras. A consistent offensive leader and reliable presence in the pool, Mras has been a cornerstone for Santa Barbara throughout the season.
The Gauchos enter the weekend still searching for their first Big West victory of the season, having faced one of the toughest conference slates in the nation. Despite the record, the Gauchos have continued to grow throughout the season, with scoring contributions from across the team and key defensive moments from a young roster.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gauchos are coming off a road matchup against conference powerhouse No. 6 Hawai'i, where they fell 18-4 to the Rainbow Wahine. In her final regular-season road appearance, Mras once again led by example, recording a hat trick to further cement her role as the team's leading scorer this season. While the final score favored Hawai'i, there were numerous shining moments for the Gauchos, as goalkeeper
Keira Wall delivered a pair of first-half penalty stops, showcasing her poise against one of the nation's top offenses. In the second half,
Lydia Soderberg took over a strong performance in the cage, tallying five saves while allowing just six goals against her.
The last Gaucho-Triton matchup came in the 2025 regular-season finale, where UC San Diego held victory over Santa Barbara in a tightly contested 13-11 decision. Then-senior
Imani Clemons led the Gauchos with four goals in that contest, and her impact remains present on the sideline this season as a member of the coaching staff, providing valuable experience as the Blue and Gold enter this year's final home game.
SCOUTING THE TRITONS
UC San Diego is coming off their own Senior Day win, as they hosted No. 23 Brown in La Jolla last Saturday. The Tritons' senior class played a pivotal role, combining for 18 points on 10 goals and eight assists. Sydney Munatones led the way with a career-high eight points, totaling three goals and five assists while also drawing four exclusions. Allie Bartholomew followed with a career-best six points behind three goals and three assists, while Sofia Munatones added four goals, finishing just one shy of her single-game career high. UC San Diego's balanced and experienced attack will present a strong test for the Gauchos' defense.
FOLLOW ALONG
The Gauchos and the Tritons will hit the water at 12 noon on Saturday from Santa Barbara High School, where attendance is free and open until capacity is reached. Fans can watch on ESPN+ and follow along with live stats and play-by-play updates at ucsbgauchos.com/WWPLiveStats.
