Throughout the season, women’s water polo coaches from
around the nation continue to scratch their heads trying to figure
out how to stop UCLA, the No. 1 team in the nation. With the NCAA
Tournament beginning this Friday in Ann Arbor, Mich., opponents
continue to scout and watch tape on any weakness they can spot in
the Bruins’ game. The consensus is there aren’t many.
“My god, they are loaded with talent,” Long Beach State
coach Rick Azevedo said. “Basically they can rely on talent
alone. They can press the crap out of anyone. “Anybody can
score a goal and that’s why they are scary, but they are
beautiful to watch.” For the past eight seasons, the national
title has belonged to one of three teams: UCLA, USC and Stanford.
And once again, all are in a position in this year’s NCAA
Tournament to add to its title count. Unlike past years, however,
the Bruins have considerably separated themselves as the heavy
favorites to take the title this season. “They’re
without a doubt the best team in the country,” Hawai’i
coach Michel Roy. “You’re playing a great team, maybe
the best team ever,” Azevedo said. The Bruins have currently
won 30 consecutive games, the UCLA and NCAA record. They also have
taken championship titles in all four tournaments this year, the
most recent the conference tournament. And even more impressive is
the fashion in which they are accomplishing this feat, outscoring
their opponents 362-124 overall and an astounding 106-26 in the
opening period. Coaches continue to express taking care of the
ball. With the Bruins’ relentless counterattack, teams have a
difficult time trying to set up both on the offense and defense.
“Preparing for them is trying to take away their
counterattack,” Loyola Marymount coach John Loughran said.
“Control the ball on offense so they don’t get any easy
goals. Once you allow UCLA to get into a transition game you
can’t stop them.” Just on paper, opposing coaches
don’t know where to begin strategizing, or choosing who to
stop. With 14 national team members making up the team and three of
them Olympians ““ senior Natalie Golda, junior Thalia Munro
and sophomore Kelly Rulon ““ focusing on just one player
undoubtedly will prove costly. But if an opposing team somehow
stymies the UCLA’s offense momentarily, the Bruins’
conditioning will eventually catch up. With constant leg, core and
arm workout, UCLA simply outmuscle its competitors. “I think
what hurts us and other teams is their physical level of
play,” Loughran said. “Mentally you have to be prepared
for their really strong girls. Natalie Golda is very strong. Thalia
Munro is very, very strong.” Nevertheless, coaches like
Azevedo believe and remain optimistic that someone will bring down
UCLA. “I don’t think any team is unbeatable, No.
1,” Azevedo said. “I think UCLA is a great team, but no
team is unbeatable. There’s not a lot of weaknesses there,
but maybe there are some situations we can take advantage
of.” Most coaches agree that’s it’s going to take
“picture perfect water polo,” and even then that might
not be enough. “They should (win the title), there’s no
doubt, but you never know; it’s women’s water
polo,” Roy said. “You never know who’s going to
feel pressure, who has a bad day. If tactically and technically
you’re not on, any given day, anybody can win. “But,
UCLA without a doubt should win the NCAAs.”
CONCUSSION NO MORE: Junior Lauren Heineck is back in action.
After over a month off due to a concussion she suffered during
practice, Heineck was cleared by the team doctor this week and will
make the trip out to Ann Arbor. Though Heineck may not be
game-ready, UCLA coach Adam Krikorian said he will likely use the
driver early on against the Bruins’ first round opponent,
Wagner, and see how she responds. “She may have lost a little
from a conditioning standpoint, but I can definitely use her for a
couple of minutes here and a couple of minutes there,”
Krikorian said. “She certainly hasn’t lost any of her
defending skills or abilities.”
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: This season the NCAA Tournament, which
starts on May 13-15, will be broadcasted on CSTV and will also be
on both www.uclabruins.com and NCAASports.com on the water polo
page via audio feed.