• printer friendly
• mail this article
• iPod format
• digg

W. polo navigates rough waters ahead

Aggressive schedule, finals will test team in upcoming weeks

By Mark J. Dittmer

Daily Bruin Contributor

The next couple of weeks for UCLA women's water polo will be a weird period. The team plays the bulk of their conference schedule over the next two weeks, including key games in San Diego this weekend. But just like the rest of UCLA, the women's water polo team has finals to take.

Consider the itinerary for this weekend's road trip to San Diego, as narrated by head coach Guy Baker:

"After our game against UC San Diego on Saturday, we're going to grab a bite to eat and then head straight to the library down at UCSD to start studying. Then we'll go grab a bite to eat again, and then people will study in their hotel rooms in the evening. Then we go play the game against San Diego State, then jump in the vans and get back right away to get ready for school."

San Diego State (10-2 overall, 0-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) should cause the Bruins more trouble this weekend than UCSD (5-7), and not just because of the Aztecs' superior talent. Unlike UCSD, SDSU will not be losing much sleep over finals this weekend - the Aztecs are on the semester system.

After this, UCLA doesn't play again until March 29, by which time finals will be a distant memory. They go to USC to play the Trojans (2-7, 0-3 MPSF), who the Bruins have walloped this year by scores of 17-3 and 18-8. The next day, the Bruins come back home for a rematch against San Diego State.

The home match will be played at noon at the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center.

UCLA (11-0, 2-0) beat SDSU earlier this season, but the Aztecs were without three of their top players, including star goalie Rachel Scott. With all three playing this weekend, the game should be closer than the Bruins' 12-4 win in February.

And it would seem, after adding up all of the factors against the Bruins, that a win against the Aztecs will be a long shot. "If we come out with a win, we're doing really well," Baker said.

But the Bruins are doing really well. They have dominated the average teams and beaten the good teams, and there is not much more one can ask. Baker was hard-pressed to single out one or two players that rose above the rest. It's easier for him to mention eight or nine.

"Catherine von Schwarz was especially excellent in the Stanford game; she had an amazing performance," Baker said. "Jennifer McFerrin had a very solid weekend, offensively and defensively. Nicholle (Payne) kept up her usual consistent brilliance. Mandy McAloon was very solid on defense."

And the list goes on. Stephanie Natcher had a great defensive weekend. Amanda Gall improved her shooting. Megan Oesting played solidly as the weekend progressed. Katie Tenenbaum and Coralie Simmons both played well after having to sit out the week before with minor injuries.Comments to webmaster@db.asucla.ucla.edu

Comments

Post a comment