by eli smukler
Bruin Sports contributor
esmukler@media.ucla.edu
The only reason the 2008 UCLA women’s water polo team is not blazing an unprecedented trail through the record books is because they already have.
Although the Bruins’ accomplishments this year are undeniably exceptional, so were those of the last few Bruin squads.
Top-ranked UCLA (24-0, 10-0 MPSF) is only one three-game home stand away from completing an undefeated regular season heading into the conference tournament. In collegiate sports, finishing the season with an empty loss column is almost unheard of; it has only happened twice in the history of women’s water polo.
One of those epic feats, however, came just three years ago from the very team that is threatening to join the club once again. The 2005 Bruins swept their entire schedule on the way to the NCAA championship in what was considered by many the most dominant season in the history of the sport. This year’s team hopes to follow in those footsteps.
In order for that to happen, UCLA has one weekend to display its dominance at its home pool, where the team has not lost in four years. Saturday brings two opponents to the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center: No. 5 San Diego State at 1 p.m. and Sonoma State immediately after at 3 p.m. No. 7 Arizona State visits on Sunday at 1 p.m. when the five Bruin seniors will be honored in the last home game of their careers.
Even with a perfect season so clearly on the horizon for a team that has every reason to be confident, the Bruins are not accepting their medal yet. When a program has won the last three NCAA titles, standards are higher and players know to make sure not to look too far in the future.
Courtney Mathewson and the four other seniors who will be honored on Sunday were freshmen on that undefeated 2005 squad.
“I think it’s always great to go undefeated, but we like to take it one game at a time,” Mathewson said. “That’s just a plus at the end of the season.”
Coach Adam Krikorian could care less about the team’s possible undefeated label, as long as his team plays to its full potential.
“You try not to focus on wins and losses,” Krikorian said. “The focus is on trying to execute. We feel like if we play our best, tactically, technically, and physically, and bring the intensity that we can, and a team beats us, then so be it. That’s the way it’s going to be.”
There is much at stake for the Bruins, but they will certainly have to earn it.
“We have our work cut out for us this weekend,” Krikorian said. “This is the first weekend in a while where we’ve had two tough games back to back, and that’s going to require a lot of effort and energy and intelligence.”
The Bruins have yet to play their first opponent, San Diego State, or even see them in person, but recently-accumulated wins over No. 6 California and No. 4 Hawai’i have revealed the Aztecs as a serious challenger.
“They’re a little bit of an unknown, but they’re going to be tough,” Krikorian said. “They’re just well-rounded at every single position.”
After a non-conference matchup against an unproven Sonoma State team, the Bruins are scheduled to come back to face Arizona State for their third match in 24 hours.
“ASU is one of the most talented teams we’re going to face,” Krikorian said. “They’ve proven that they’re a legitimate contender. They have potentially one of the best players in the country in Addison McGrath, who is just a load, just tough to guard.”
Shutting down scoring threats has been the Bruins’ forte this season, however, and it will be necessary for them to continue doing so if they want to win this weekend. UCLA beat ASU 14-5 in the season opener, allowing only a single goal in the second half.
“We need to play hard defense like we have been the last couple games,” Mathewson said. “It all starts with our defense.”
Consistency in front of their own goal has been a trademark of UCLA’s championship teams.
“I think we’re similar in a lot of ways (to the teams of years past),” Krikorian said. “We still have a few girls that have been part of the last couple years and they are really the heart and soul of this team.”
Because this year’s leading players have been on so many winning teams, they know what it takes to win championships, and that experience may prove invaluable down the stretch. The comparisons to the Bruins’ other championship teams are plentiful, but the biggest difference this season is the addition of such a large freshman class.
“They didn’t quite have the experience, but they’ve gained it over the year,” Mathewson said. “That means there’s a lot of leadership (on the part of) the juniors and seniors. It’s going to be interesting when we get to the conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament because it’s a completely different ballgame.”