Through the gray January fog and bleak lights at the Sunset
Canyon Recreation Center atop the hill, the morning is filled with
the faint hum of Vespas and the laughter of 16 talented
athletes.
Joking with coach Adam Krikorian as they stretch on the pool
deck waiting for swimmers to give up the pool, the women of the
UCLA water polo team could convince anybody that 7:30 a.m. is a
viable hour of the day.
Coming off its NCAA Championship win against USC last year, (No.
99 for UCLA), the women’s water polo team is back to the
usual early-morning grind.
The defending national champions begin their season at the
Stanford Invitational this weekend, and will hit the water with
some notable differences. For example, the team has shrunk from 20
members to 16, and just 14 field players.
“We’re probably not as deep as we’ve been
before, and we certainly don’t have the large numbers that
we’ve had before, but the talent is still there.”
Krikorian said.
The Bruins are as confident as their coach about their
lineup.
“We’re really close,” Courtney Mathewson said.
“Having a smaller team makes it easier to listen in practice,
we get a lot more playing time, and we’re all on the same
page.”
Mathewson’s play in the title game last spring remains
fresh in the memories of all Bruin fans, as she scored the
game-winning goal in the final seconds to upset USC.
Nothing at their twice-a-day practices would suggest the Bruins
are not poised for another run. Like a well-oiled machine, the
girls take out lane ropes, put in goals, and are in the water
within minutes. For over four hours each day, they are practicing
everything from head-up dribbling sprints to full scrimmages among
themselves.
Unity seems to be a strong theme for this small group of close
athletes, and no doubt it will be an instrumental factor in the
development and playing style of this year’s team.
“I’m most excited to see how this team comes
together,” senior driver Kelly Rulon said. “Everyone
gets along, so I’m excited to see the chemistry that’s
outside of the pool come together in the pool.”
Rulon, a 2004 Olympian, and her fellow seniors form the core of
this team. Last year, Rulon was named NCAA Tournament MVP. As a
Bruin, she has scored 70 goals in a single season two times.
Emily Feher, also a senior, is returning for the Bruins as
goalkeeper, where she provided a dominating presence in front of
the cage last season.
After winning NCAA titles three of the past four years, the
Bruins hope their relationships with each other will give them the
extra edge over the competition.
“The usual suspects will be tough, such as USC, Stanford
and Cal,” Krikorian said. “But it’s really all
about who executes at the end of the season.”
With the season beginning soon, anyone who believes this
year’s team has the potential to be one of the greats in the
program’s history is likely to agree that it is a major
contender for UCLA’s 100th national title.
“I’m really excited to work with this group.
I’ve had some great teams and some great kids go through the
program, but this group is really special to me,” Krikorian
said. “They bring a great approach to the pool deck that is
just a pleasure to be around. They work hard and are so coachable.
They want to get better; it makes my job easy and fun to come to
practice.”
Without a doubt, this will be a team for all Bruin fans to keep
a close eye on.