The UCLA women’s water polo team will face something very new today: an opponent with more talent.
The No. 1 Bruins, who just finished a perfect 27-0 regular season, will face the U.S. National Team this afternoon in an exhibition match at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center. The U.S. team features two former Bruins and will be a gold medal contender in the Olympics this summer in Beijing.
“The great thing about playing a team like this is that they are going to exploit our weaknesses, and it will obviously be the most difficult game we play all year,” coach Adam Krikorian said. “We’re not going to face anyone close to the level of the national team, and we’re going to have to play very, very well just to hang in there. I think we’ll learn a lot from it.”
This specific national team formed in 2005. The team now focuses solely on its Olympic goals, although it has represented the United States at international events such as the FINA World Championships, the Pan American Games, the FINA World Cup, the FINA World League and the Holiday Cup. The national team began the 2008 season ranked No. 1 in the world.
The Bruins played their last regular season game Sunday with a 14-4 win over Arizona State. They have already beat the Canadian National Team, 8-5 in a March 26 exhibition in Honolulu. UCLA will begin its postseason April 24 in San Diego at the MPSF Tournament. They will likely contend for a fourth-straight NCAA title May 11 in Palo Alto.
“It’s beneficial two-fold,” Krikorian said. “(It’s) beneficial for us just to have the opportunity for us to play a team that is so talented and one of the gold-medal favorites in the upcoming games. For them, it probably breaks up the routine a little bit … to play a game or two.”
The Bruin players are excited about the challenge as well; the team has won 35 consecutive games in a streak dating back to 2007.
“I’m excited to see where we’re at against a good team like the national team,” junior attacker Tanya Gandy said. “(I’m excited) just to really be able to compete and learn a lot from playing someone of their caliber and getting ready to play.”
While the U.S. team certainly has the edge in talent and experience, Krikorian hopes his team will keep the game close.
“It’s going to be competitive; at least, I hope it is,” Krikorian said. “We’re not playing just to have fun, otherwise we wouldn’t do it. The fun part about playing a game is the competition.”
The former Bruins playing with the U.S. team are Jamie Hipp (Class of 2003) and Natalie Golda (Class of 2006).
Hipp, the goalkeeper, is in her first cycle with the national team after spending time playing abroad in Australia upon graduating from UCLA.
“Jamie is someone who I’ve always thought was underrated and under-appreciated,” Krikorian said. “I’m glad she’s finally getting some recognition as one of the top goalies in our country.”
The games this summer will be Golda’s second with the national team. She was a key player on the 2004 bronze-medal team in Athens that also included former bruin Kelly Rulon. Golda was also an assistant coach for the 2006 UCLA team.
“Natalie is someone that didn’t make the junior national team when she was coming up and really couldn’t even make any of our swim sets that we were doing when she started here,” Krikorian said. “Now she’s one of the best players in the world.”
“I’m especially excited to see Natalie Golda come back,” Gandy added. “I played with her a little bit, but not a whole lot, so it will be good to get back into the water with her again and splash around.”
With the hardest games yet to come for UCLA on the eve of the MPSF Tournament next week and the NCAA Tournament in three weeks, the Bruins are welcoming the competition, especially since their last few matchups have presented few challenges.
“I think any time you play great competition, it’s going to help you prepare, especially for the postseason,” Krikorian said.