The UCLA men’s water polo team is looking much different
than last year’s squad. Those Bruins exceeded all
expectations, finishing second in the nation and losing to Stanford
in the NCAA championship game.
This year, they may not make it that far. The loss of three
seniors to graduation may have been countered by a newer and deeper
senior class, but according to head coach Adam Krikorian,
“we’re not good enough to think about the NCAA
tournament right now.
“We’re just looking at one game at a time. This is a
whole new year, so we really don’t have many
expectations.”
UCLA opened the season with two consecutive losses to Irvine and
Cal, but it was a relief for a few of the players.
“Losses are definitely a good thing, because they help us
work out our kinks,” sophomore driver Peter Belden said.
Since the losing streak, the team has reviewed its level of
play. The players are not completely confident in their ability to
dig deep into opponents and hold them under the water, but they
rebounded to string together a three-game win streak, including a
victory over USC.
The team knows that it must refocus, and work on one
underachieving aspect of their game at a time to improve.
“If we get our mental game together, our physical game
will match that,” sophomore center Ted Peck said. “We
can physically win the games, but we need to get on track and get
our heads in it.”
The Bruins do have a championship-contending team; with seniors
Brandon Brooks, the nation’s best goalkeeper, and two-meter
defensemen Matt Flesher and Dan Yielding, the squad has experience
and leadership.
Behind junior Albert Garcia, and sophomores Brett Ormsby and
Josh Hewko, the Bruins have drivers who can score without
hesitation. The team appears solid, but it demands a full
effort.
“UCLA has never been a water polo program where one true
guy shines,” Krikorian said. “We are a team and we need
to stay that way.”
The bottom line is that the team will have to live up to the
cliché of taking each game at a time. With Stanford as the
uncontested No. 1 team, the fight for second will be a struggle.
Krikorian feels every player will have to give it their all
throughout the season, win or lose.
“Water polo is a lot like football, and it demands a lot
of heart, courage and aggressiveness,” he said. “If
we’re timid and hesitant, we’ll get pushed around. In
the MPSF, our overall record will decide if we really go to the
NCAA tournament anyhow, so until someone knocks off Stanford,
it’s going to be very close between the rest.”