After seeing a 5-2 lead in the national championship game turn into a 9-5 loss, then-sophomore UCLA attacker Rachel Fattal was already thinking ahead to the next season.
“I always see us going forward. I can only see us getting better next year, and I can only see this loss as fueling us next year,” Fattal said.
Now, after more than seventh months, “next year” is finally here, as UCLA begins its 2015 campaign on Jan. 17 at home against California Baptist University and Loyola Marymount University.
In the upcoming season, the No. 2 Bruins will attempt to carry over the momentum that they established last year. After finishing the year with an impressive record of 27-5, UCLA’s women’s water polo aims to capture its eighth NCAA Championship this season.
“Our goals are for us to be the best team we can be and to come as close as we can to reaching our full potential,” said coach Brandon Brooks. “I think that we will be talented and deep and I think we will be very competitive.”
In terms of UCLA’s playing style, Brooks said his team’s success will be engineered by its defense.
“Our strengths will be defense and counterattack,” Brooks said. “I think we are very strong defensively, led by (redshirt senior goalkeeper) Sami Hill in the cage, and I think we are very fast. I think that our weaknesses, our question marks as of right now, would be offense and our ability to score the ball.”
After last season’s loss against then-No. 1 Stanford in the NCAA Championship, the Bruins said they are more prepared this season than ever to play to their strengths and become the best team that they can be.
“I feel like we ended last season really strong and we have this hunger to just go after it again,” said sophomore utility Mackenzie Barr. “We always want to win; that’s always our goal.”
Though a potential rematch against the Cardinal might be a challenge for the Bruins, they said the upcoming season shows promise and high optimism.
“Teams change every year,” said Barr, who finished sixth on the team with 25 goals last season. “It’s always going to be a new team and a new experience every time we play (Stanford) so hopefully we’ll just bring our best when the time comes.”
UCLA will take on Cal Baptist at 2:10 p.m. in Spieker Aquatics Center, followed by No. 14 Loyola Marymount at 5:10 p.m.
“(We’re) excited to play and excited to get going in season,” Brooks said, flashing a smile. “I think it will be a lot of fun.”
With contributing reports by Erik Rehnberg, Bruin Sports contributor.