10:00pm |  Long Beach State’s women’s water polo team hits the pool for their first competition in the new decade as the 49ers head across town to take part in the UC Irvine mini-tournament this Saturday.

The 49ers start the weekend by playing Arizona State at 1:45 p.m., and then play in the next game of the tournament against Cal State Bakersfield beginning at 4:30 p.m. Those two matches are the only two games for Long Beach State in the opening weekend.

Head Coach Gavin Arroyo enters his second season as head of the women’s water polo program and has a very young squad in 2010, featuring 20 underclassmen and 15 freshman. However, the team returns a two-starter in goalkeeper Kristen Stragier who has 513 career saves, third-most in school history, as well as last year’s leading scorer in junior Lauren Sieprath.

The home opener for Long Beach State is set for Thursday, February 4 when the 49ers host USC at 7 p.m. in the Campus Pool. 

Reports From LBSU