NICOLE MILLER/ Daily Bruin Maureen
Flanagan gets ready to make a play in a water polo match
earlier this season. UCLA d. Cal 7-5
UCLA d. Pacific 16-4
By Emily Whichard
Daily Bruin Contributor
The season forecast for the UCLA women’s water polo team
is looking brighter and brighter.
In their second weekend of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation
Conference play, the No. 2 Bruins (8-2, 3-0 MPSF) extended their
flawless conference record with wins over No. 4 California and No.
16 Pacific.
On Saturday, the Golden Bears (5-5, 0-1) put up quite a fight on
their home turf at the Spieker Aquatics Complex. UCLA was forced to
come back from a two goal deficit to win the game 7-5.
“They were pretty fired up to play us,” Head Coach
Adam Krikorian said. “They were playing really
tough.”
The Bruins entered the match with a 2-0 advantage over the Bears
for the season. UCLA beat California, 6-4, at the Norcal Tournament
in early February and 6-2 at the Gaucho Tournament two weekends
ago. After easing through two victories, this weekend’s close
game was a wake-up call for the Bruins.
“It’s really good to have games like that,”
Krikorian said. “To face adversity, fall behind and then come
back and win.”
Bruin junior Kelly Heuchan began the intense match with a goal
on the first possession of the first quarter. California rounded
out the first quarter with two goals of their own, leaving the
score 2-1.
The Bruins turned the tables in the second quarter with goals
from sophomore Robin Beauregard and Senior Kristin Guerin, giving
UCLA a single-goal lead.
In a scoring whirlwind, the Bears found the back of the net
three times in the third quarter, regaining the advantage at 5-3.
UCLA senior Coralie Simmons retaliated with 53 seconds remaining in
the third, bringing the Bruins within one goal.
“We weren’t putting the ball away,” Krikorian
said. “We had plenty of opportunities, we just weren’t
getting the job done.”
The Bruins, however, got the job done in the final quarter.
There was no more volatile scoreboard action, as the fourth quarter
was all UCLA.
Heuchan started off the quarter right with another first
possession score to tie the game. Freshman Thalia Munro then gave
the Bruins a one-goal advantage.
And with 28 seconds remaining, Heuchan clinched the victory with
her third goal of the afternoon, handing the Bruins a 7-5
victory.
Sunday’s match-up against Pacific (2-9) did not provide
the excitement or season preparation that California presented. The
Bruins breezed through Stockton on their way home, butchering the
Tigers 16-4.
UCLA posted 11 goals to Pacific’s lone successful score in
the first quarter. The second half brought in the Bruin bench in to
dominate the Tigers 5-3.
Sophomore Devon McIntyre led the Bruins with a career-high three
goals. Heuchan extended her scoring streak of six straight games
with two goals.
The Bruins return home for a week of preparation before their
crosstown rival face-off at home on Friday. This weekend will be
the first time the No. 3 Trojans meet the Bruins this season.
After the important game, UCLA will attempt to boost their
record with two more weekend home games against No. 8 Hawaii on
Saturday and No. 5 Long Beach State on Sunday.