After Sunday’s game against Michigan, UCLA coach Adam
Krikorian and the women’s water polo team sat on the top of
the bleachers in Canham Natatorium, in Ann Arbor, Mich. It may have
been a moment to reflect on their past three games and how they
utterly dominated their opponents, outscoring them 49-5. It was
also a culmination to a trip that had a greater purpose.
“This is the time, this is where we’ll be
playing,” senior Natalie Golda said. “This is visually
where we know we want to be come May.” And in May, that time
will be the NCAA Tournament. With such lofty goals set on a team
that is expected to capture the NCAA title, Krikorian made a
conscious effort to schedule his team to begin and end its season
in Michigan. Dismantling Indiana State, Colorado and host Michigan
this weekend in the Michigan Invitational, the No. 1 Bruins are
still making adjustments to a team that includes a host of
Olympians and every key player from last season. “We can pull
from anyone on the bench because anyone can score from
anywhere,” Golda said. “That makes us dangerous. If we
learn to play together we can devastate people.” As for just
gauging the performance of this year’s team on its opening
weekend, Krikorian will harp on two things in practice this coming
week. “I’m going to emphasis defense and
creativity,” he said. “At times we operate mechanically
as in individually on the offensive end. We need to play with a
sense of freedom.”
SOFTBALL: The two-time defending NCAA champion UCLA softball
team opened its season on Sunday with a doubleheader sweep at UC
Santa Barbara, winning 5-1 and 9-1 respectively. Freshman pitcher
Anjelica Selden and fellow freshman left fielder Krista Colburn
each shined for the Bruins. Selden started the second game and
pitched a complete game, striking out 14 batters in seven innings
while allowing only one run on three hits. Colburn went 7-for-7
with a home run, a triple, a stolen base and four RBI. UCLA
shortstop Jodie Legaspi added to the offense with two home runs,
going 4-for-7 with three RBI for the day. Bruin third baseman
Andrea Duran got five hits in a 5-for-8, 3 RBI performance. Pitcher
Lisa Dodd hurled a complete game in the first game, allowing only
one run and four hits in seven innings while tallying seven
strikeouts. The Bruins play next on Wednesday, when they take on UC
Riverside in a doubleheader at Irvine’s Bill Barber Park.
LACROSSE: The men’s lacrosse team won its home-opener
against Cal 4-3 in a defensive battle. Goalie Spencer Fivelson
recorded 14 saves for a Bruin team that had never been a part of a
win over the Golden Bears. “Spencer kept us in the
game,” UCLA coach Lane Jaffe said. Though the Bruins jumped
out to a 3-0 lead, Cal came back to score the next three goals.
However, in the fourth quarter, Will Jun scored his second goal of
the day to put the Bruins ahead for good. Jeremy Gessow and Patrick
Chung also added goals for UCLA, which will travel to play Cal Poly
San Luis Obispo on Saturday. The women’s lacrosse team also
won their first game of the season, a 17-1 romp over Loyola
Marymount.
Compiled by Bruin sports senior staff.