Tuesday, March 10, 1998
Bruins continue dominating ways with impressive series of
victories
Team says aloha to Michigan, UCSB and Hawaii to go undefeated in
tournament
By Steve Kim
Daily Bruin Staff
Water polo has never been this fun.
Last Thursday, the UCLA women’s water polo team practically told
the Trojans to sit down and stay down, by dominating the game 10-1
in Southern Cal’s home territory.
Simply put in the words of UCLA head coach Guy Baker, "We were
just better."
After crushing the Trojan spirit, the Bruins flew to Hawaii to
stir some trouble in paradise. They put a new spin on the
traditional Hawaiian greeting, "aloha," at the University of Hawaii
Tournament this weekend, as they brought with them a tropical storm
of yellow water polo balls.
The Bruins were all business in the Friday match-up against
Michigan. The best women’s water polo team in the Midwest didn’t
quite stand up to one of the best teams in the nation, as UCLA beat
Michigan 15-5.
Saturday morning’s game against UCSB was a similar story. The
Bruins took the win, 10-3.
The final game Saturday night against host Hawaii was the most
exciting. After losing to UCLA several weeks ago, Hawaii was
determined to redeem itself in its home pool. The home crowd of
several hundred was all worked up as the Rainbow Wahine scored the
first goal.
After that, Hawaii may have been too gracious of a host to
underestimate the Bruins. The UCLA women turned the game around
quickly enough to finish 13-6.
By the end of the first quarter, the Bruins took advantage of
the tropical hospitality, leading 3-1. It increased its lead to 6-2
by the half. Then came explosive play by the Bruins, where they
scored three goals in a row well within two minutes.
Boom, boom, boom. Junior Coralie Simmons put two in, while
junior Catherine von Schwarz, back in action after a minor
practice-related injury, scored another.
"Coralie played one of the best games I’ve seen a collegiate
water polo player play," said UCLA assistant coach Adam Krikorian.
"She was all over the place–offensively and defensively.
Everything she needed to do to as a team player; she made it
happen."
"The other player who played well was Mandy McAloon," Baker
added. "She guarded one of Hawaii’s best players Marie-Luc Arpin
and shut her out. Arpin starts on the Canadian national team and
she’s a very fast player and good shooter. Mandy did a great good
job guarding her."
The Bruins have been working on a type of play with higher, more
consistent energy. As the season progresses, they have been
accomplishing that, as evidenced by this weekend’s tournament.
"We elevated our play there in that game," Baker said. "We were
a lot more aggressive and physical. We’re playing where we can get
on these tremendous runs. It’s just a matter of doing that
throughout the whole game."
After conducting their serious business in Hawaii, they had only
a few hours to enjoy the tropical sun and crystal clear ocean.
Their job, however, was done, and the Bruins let the Rainbow Wahine
know just how much damage a score of ladies from Southern
California can cause.
Aloha.