March 26, 2014
Bridgeport, Pa.----- Now with a season-high five-match winning streak, the San José State University women's water polo has its highest national weekly ranking of the season heading into its March 29 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) contest with #1-ranked and undefeated University of Southern California.
The conference contest between the #8-Spartans (18-9, 0-2 MPSF) and the Trojans (18-0, 3-0 MPSF) starts at noon at The Aquatics Center on the San Jose State campus.
San Jose State is eighth for the first time since the 2014 preseason coaches poll. The Spartans were tenth in the March 12 and ninth in the March 19 polls. In the last two weeks, San Jose State ended Princeton's bid for an undefeated season and 17-match winning streak and topped #14-Indiana and #20-Wagner. The win over then-#8 Princeton was San Jose State's second of the season against a top-10 ranked team.
USC is one of three teams without a conference loss. The defending NCAA champions top the MPSF in scoring average at 15.94 goals a match and in goals allowed at 4.06. The Trojans are facing a Spartan team with seven players who have 20 or more goals on the season.
San Jose State has the #2, #4, #16 and #23 scorers in the MPSF in Clara Espar Llaquet, Rae Lekness, Timi Molnar and Victoria Smith, respectively. Espar Llaquet leads the Spartans with 85 goals, one shy of the school's single-season record of 86 by Adriana Vogt in 2011, and has a goal in all 27 matches this season.
USC has won all 25 meetings between these teams. Twice, in 2004 and 2006, San Jose State came within two goals of the Trojans.
Collegiate Water Polo Coaches Association weekly poll
March 26, 2014
| Rank, School | Points |
| 1. USC | 100 |
| 2. UCLA | 95 |
| 3. Stanford | 90 |
| 4. California | 85 |
| 5. Arizona State | 80 |
| 6. UC Irvine | 76 |
| 7. Cal State Northridge | 67 |
| 8. San Jose State | 66 |
| 9. Princeton | 59 |
| 10. Hawaii | 57 |
| 11. Loyola Marymount | 46 |
| 12. Long Beach State | 44 |
| 13. UC San Diego | 42 |
| 14. Indiana | 38 |
| 15. UC Davis | 28 |
| 16. UC Santa Barbara | 21 |
| 17. Michigan | 18 |
| 18. Santa Clara | 14 |
| 19. Hartwick | 13 |
| 20. Wagner | 7 |
| San Diego State | 7 |