An electrified University of the Pacific men’s water polo team hopped into the Spieker Aquatics Center pool on Sunday and immediately sent shots flying around a subdued UCLA team.
The disoriented Bruins couldn’t keep up, trailing behind in the score for three quarters of the game.
But when redshirt junior utility Cristiano Mirarchi pounced on a rebound, flicked it to his right hand and sent a backhanded shot into the net, the score tied and UCLA finally woke up.
UCLA went on to beat Pacific 12-10, amid a flurry of diverse goals. The Bruins also racked up wins before and after: an 18-5 conference win against UC Irvine on Saturday and an 11-6 exhibition game win against Long Beach City College on Sunday.
The game against Pacific, however, seemed to hold the most significance.
UCLA had been struggling against its major opponents, falling from a No. 1 spot, and losing to USC in the SoCal Invitational finals and to Stanford in a conference game.
“We kind of just flat-lined there,” said coach Adam Wright.
And prospects had looked bleak for three-fourths of the Pacific game, an important conference match.
“I think we were a little emotional before the game,” Wright said. “That kind of distracted us from what we needed to do. We weren’t following little details, even defensively. … Emotionally we were too ramped up.”
But just after the third quarter, a team meeting changed the mentalities of the players.
“The seniors, the veteran guys, they took a second and said, ‘Look, we need to get ourselves right back in this thing,'” Wright said.
According to the team, this reapplying of “the basics,” along with a “swing of the mind” in their mentality, saved the Bruins at the end of the game. Recharged going into the fourth quarter, the team said it was able to forget the kinks in its defensive play, transition game and power plays.
“We knew they were going to come out strong; they’re a really good team,” Mirarchi said. “But we were really confident in our game plan and we knew that in the long run we’re going to be able to come back.”
UCLA’s comeback sported impressive shots. Sophomore utility Danny McClintick, for example, lobbed a ball that hung in the air at the shot clock buzz before landing over the goalkeeper’s head and into Pacific’s net.The shot solidified UCLA’s lead and sent the audience into a roar.
But what sticks in McClintick’s head, however, is the fact that his team “won from behind,” something he said gives him confidence.
“Seeing our defense in the first half and watching us bounce back in a not-desirable situation,” McClintick said. “That’s what makes me feel good.”