In a season of unprecedented tumult, with includes the almost-inconceivable firing of USC Head Coach Jovan Vavic, it should come as little surprise that there is corresponding turmoil in the Collegiate Water Polo Association’s Top-25 poll—specifically the nation’s top ten teams.
The biggest change involves Southern Cal, which last week saw its 36-match winning streak snapped by Stanford. A match between the top-seeded Trojans and the #2 Cardinal is always compelling, but it was more so because it took place at the Uytengsu Aquatics Center in front of a rabid throng of SC fans. All went home disappointed—including Interim Head Coach Casey Moon who suffered his first-ever lost—as Stanford rallied with four-straight goals in the fourth period and weathered a late goal by USC’s Denise Mammolito before a brilliant OT score by Makenzie Fischer powered the Cardinal to a 9-8 win.
[Stanford Women’s Water Polo Storms into Uytengsu and Beats USC, Snapping 36-Match Win Streak]
Stanford (15-1; 3-0 MPSF) is the country’s new number one, taking back the top spot the Trojans captured a year ago—the first of four straight USC wins over their primary women’s rival. But, there’s no rest for the Cardinal; on Saturday they host #3 UCLA at Avery Aquatic Center. There’s no such thing as a “trap game” when it comes to Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) play; when you play in the country’s top water polo conference, every game is competitive.
Makenzie Fisher. Photo Courtesy: Catharyn Hayne
What makes this match-up so dangerous for Stanford is that the Bruins have been gathering strength all season, as the defense-first approach that worked so well for Head Coach Adam Wright when his men won three NCAA titles the past four years is now being embraced by his women’s squad, including a crop of talented freshmen.
The Trojans (20-1; 2-1 MPSF) knocked out of the top spot, will regroup. In fact, last Saturday they were missing top scorer Maud Megens, who was in Europe helping the Dutch National Team win the 2019 Europa Cup. It’s tough to play the “what-if” game, but Moon surely would have had different looks in the fourth quarter when the Cardinal were rallying. There’s no easy games remaining for MPSF squads; Southern Cal travels north for a Bay Area matchup, also tomorrow, against Cal. Megens’ presence will likely alleviate pressure on Paige Hauschild, the Trojan’s number two scorer, and will probably end the only losing streak (one) that Moon—in his fourth game as SC coach—has experienced.
UCLA’s Val Ayala. Photo Courtesy: Minette Rubin
In traveling to Stanford, the Bruins (20-3; 3-0 MPSF) also must beware; a relatively young team—13 underclassmen, including 9 freshmen—traveling to Avery and facing the mighty Cardinal could be very intimidating. Luckily, Maddie Mussleman is back to full health, and she’s gotten a lot of help from freshmen Val Ayala (29 goals) and Ava Johnson (17). More importantly, after missing 16 matches, Lizette Rozenboom, who collected 44 goals last season, is back and has seven goals since returning three games ago. The Bruins’ record in those matches? 3-0—including a decisive 10-7 home win last weekend over Pacific.
Hawai’i (14-4; 2-0 Big West) had been looking to break into the “Big Four” since last placing this high in the CWPA poll since March 2016. A 6-5 comeback win over Cal Berkeley was a huge step forward for the Rainbow Wahine; their first over the Golden Bears in three years. Now comes another huge test; tonight they’ll face UC Irvine at Irvine in what promises to be a pivotal Big West match-up. Going into the Anteater’s den, Maureen Cole’s squad possesses a modest 11-match win streak in conference regular season play; of course, their last Big West loss came at the UCI pool against the home team in the finals of the 2018 Big West tournament—and the Anteaters, not the Rainbow Wahine, advanced to the NCAA tournament. The visitors will be looking for a different outcome tonight; Sunday they travel to Long Beach for a match against the #12 49ers.
[NCAA Women’s Water Polo: No. 8 UC Irvine Upsets No. 4 Hawaii, 7-6]
In early March, Cal (13-4; 1-1 MPSF) was knocking on the door of the top three. The Golden Bears had beaten UCLA for third place at 2019 the Barbara Kalbus Invitational, and had a return date with the Bruins—who they had beaten three straight times—in Los Angeles. Head Coach Coralie Simmons squad got in an early five-goal hole, rallied, but left Los Angeles on the wrong side a of a 9-7 score. An ensuing three-match winning streak was terminated last weekend in Honolulu by Hawai’i; now a wounded USC travels to Berkeley to face the Golden Bears. Which Cal team will show up? And, can they take advantage of a program that is likely continuing to deal with the emotional fall-out of the demise of former Coach Vavic?
After playing in the big pools out West—literally—#6 Michigan (15-8) comes back East to take care of conference business, starting Saturday in Boston against Saint Francis, Pennsylvania and Brown, followed Sunday by matches against #15 Princeton and host #14 Harvard. Not that the Wolverines should take any of their Collegiate Water Polo Association foes lightly—certainly not the Tigers of Princeton, who scored a huge win at home last weekend, beating a very good Wagner team 11-10. Michigan’s Ratings Percentage Index (RPI)—as of March 24—is sixth in the nation; Harvard is 11, Princeton 15, Brown 24 and Saint Francis 45—not nearly as daunting as UCLA (#1 in RPI), #2 USC, #3 Cal, #4 Stanford, #5 Hawai’i, #7 UC Irvine, #8 Arizona State—opponents whom Head Coach Marcelo Leonardi has loaded up his non-conference schedule with the past two months.
#7 Pacific (9-8; 2-0 GCC) is in a boat, similar to Michigan—a team they faced four time this season. The Tigers spent two months playing against the country’s best and are only now entering conference play. A 7-8 record against non-conference opponents is balanced against a 2-0 record (thus far) against Golden Coast Conference foes. Next up two home matches against GCC opponents. A match tonight against #25 Cal Baptist will be followed by a 1pm (PST) date tomorrow against #13 Loyola Marymount. The Lions (16-8; 2-1 GCC) have been tough all season—losing by one versus UCLA in January, losing by two to Michigan in February, and sweeping all four matches at their own tournament last month. Against the Bruins, Pacific simply didn’t have the depth to compete with a top-three squad; Kyra Christmas, Mariana Duarte, Viktoria Szmodics and Viktoria Tamas the majority of minutes. Against GCC opponents, depth will not be a huge factor—but health will.
Ted Newland. Photo Courtesy: UCI Athletics
It’s a sad day on the University of California-Irvine campus; Ted Newland, the Anteater’s incomparable men’s coach, has passed away at the age of 91. The greatest water polo coach in the program’s history, a testament to Newland’s enduring influence on UCI polo is that the current head coaches—Marc Hunt for the men and Dan Klatt for the women—both played for Newland. This is of course bad news for Hawai’i, which will find out Saturday just how inspired the UCI women (14-8; 1-1 Big West) are by the passing of an Anteater icon.
As will #9 UC Davis (15-9; 1-1 Big West), which travels to Irvine on Sunday to face the Anteaters. Head Coach Jamie Wright did NOT play for Newland—he’s been an Aggie for four decades, arriving on campus to play polo in 1976. Before his squad plays UC Irvine, they will travel to Long Beach State for a Big West match against the 49ers.
The Sun Devils of Arizona State (12-9; 1-2 MPSF) went 2-1 last weekend at their own tournament, dropping a 9-7 decision to MPSF foe #18 (T) San Jose State and then getting bounce-back wins against San Diego State and Siena. With a weekend off, Head Coach Todd Clapper’s squad will have ample time to prepare for an April 13th match in Los Angeles against USC and then a date in Berkeley against Cal. Currently behind the Spartans in the MPSF standings, unless the Sun Devils pull off an unexpected upset, they’re looking at a first round match-up against the Trojans in the first round of the MPSF tournament.