After only adding two goals to its lead in the third quarter, UCLA women’s water polo was looking to regain momentum going into the final eight minutes against Redlands.
This mindset was clear as sophomore attacker Devin Grab came out firing and scored two goals in the first minute, the first from well beyond the five-meter mark.
“This whole year we’re focusing on one key word: consistency,” Grab said. “We can’t decide to slack off at the end. So it was important that we refocused at the beginning of the fourth quarter.”
The game against Redlands (5-20, 1-4 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) was No. 2 UCLA’s (20-2, 3-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) second of three in the UCLA Invitational. The Bruins went on to handily beat the Bulldogs 23-2 and later downed the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens (8-14, 3-1 SCIAC) by a margin of 25-3.
Both contests played out in a similar manner, with coach Brandon Brooks focusing on giving experience to younger players throughout the day.
“We were able to play everyone,” said Brooks. “I think it’s important just for people to see the ball going into the net and to get more practice.”
All freshmen on the team, aside from goalie Carlee Kapana, netted at least one goal each. Attacker Lizette Rozeboom led the charge not only for the freshmen but also for the team with five goals against Redlands and three against Pomona-Pitzer.
At one point against the Bulldogs, the Bruins fielded a lineup entirely made up of freshmen.
“Depth is so important in making a team, so it’s really cool that they got to get in there, get some goals, and feel what it’s like to play collegiate water polo,” Grab said.
Along with the emphasis on experience for younger players, UCLA focused on teamwork and consistency throughout the day.
“I definitely think that we’re working on consistency as a team overall, so no matter who our opponent is we have to keep up the speed of play and our communication,” said senior goalie Alex Musselman, who recorded eight saves against Pomona-Pitzer. “That was something we decided to focus on at the beginning of the tournament and I think we did a good job of keeping our goal.”
On the day, 34 of the Bruins’ 48 goals came from assists, highlighting the Bruins’ strong communication and play execution. Senior defender Charlotte Pratt and junior utility Mackenzie Barr notched four assists each against Pomona-Pitzer alone.
Offense was not UCLA’s only strength. The Bruins dominated defensively, shutting out both opponents in the first half. They also tallied 33 steals on the day, giving the opposing teams few offensive opportunities.
The mistakes on the day were few and far between, but Brooks noted persistent bad habits including position defense, maintaining intensity and shooting off-balance shots.
“It’s not really about the opponent, it’s about the habits,” said Brooks. “I think it becomes more apparent in closer games, but good habits are just important in these games when we are up.”
Email Angus at kangus@media.ucla.edu or tweet her @kelseyangus1.