MEN’S WATERPOLO STARTERS Nick Pacelli (So.)
driver Jeff Pflueger (Sr.) driver Alfonso Tucay (Sr.) 2-meter
offenseman Matt Flesher (Jr.) 2-meter defenseman Dan Yielding (So.)
2-meter defenseman Brandon Brooks (So.) Goalkeeper SOURCE: UCLA
Sports Info JARRETT QUON AND VICTOR CHEN/Daily Bruin Senior
Staff
By Adam Titcher
Daily Bruin Contributor
About a year ago, the UCLA men’s water polo team looked to
defend their national title. In a wild season of winning streaks
and forfeits, the Bruins repeated. The 2001 season is well
anticipated by the Bruins but mention of “three-peat”
is mum.
Fans are expecting the team to defend their title, but in the
pool the feeling is different; the team is looking toward a year of
rebuilding. Spirits and confidence are running high among the
players even with the team’s lack of depth.
In an offseason of celebrating, one too many diplomas were given
out breaking the solidity of the squad. Seven of the 10 rotation
players departed including all six starters.
The senior losses were made up with a highly regarded recruiting
class, but four true freshmen cannot be expected to do a lot. They
can contribute with their youth and raw talent, but only those who
tasted the championship can bring another one to Westwood.
Junior All-American goalkeeper Brandon Brooks says he is
“jubilant with anticipation” about the new season, but
does agree that it will be tougher than it looks to repeat this
year.
“I was anxious to even win (our first match),” said
Brooks of the team’s 12-2 season opening win over UC Irvine.
“I’m overwhelmed with relief.”
The quest for the NCAA title is open to many schools with the
Bruins’ new found vulnerability, including favorites Stanford
and UC San Diego, last year’s runner-up. UCLA will need to
put more effort into beating teams such as California, UC Irvine
and USC to have any chance.
One advantage the Bruins will have this season is Brooks
returning as goalkeeper. Last year Brooks alone put up magnificent
numbers including 208 saves and a school record low 4.80 goals
against average. To keep the scores close, the Bruins will look to
control the fast break and hold on defensively.
Brooks gave up only two goals in the crushing defeat of the
Anteaters. The win avenged last year’s two losses to Irvine,
but it was just the first game of the season.
“We cannot get excited about it,” said head coach
Adam Krikorian. “We did a really good job on the
counterattack, but we have to be consistent.”
Krikorian knows that a full team effort as well as Brooks’
amazing goalkeeping is key to having a winning season. The freshmen
and the rest of the rotation will be required to communicate well
at all times.
“It takes time to get used to (playing with
freshmen),” said junior two-meter defenseman Matt
Flesher.
As the season goes along, the players should naturally become
more comfortable with one another, though sometimes it takes more
than one season.
More so than communication, the Bruins are expecting leaders to
take control of the team. For more wins, Krikorian feels it is
imperative for leaders to make their presence known. He has
confidence that they will too.
As a rebuilding school, they are not the same team that has won
four titles in the last six years. But opponents will still pay a
lot of attention to UCLA, looking to push the Bruins off their
podium in this tangled season.
“No one wants to see us go anywhere this year because of
who we are,” said senior driver Jeff Pflueger.
MEN’S WATERPOLO SCHEDULE Date
Opponent Outcome/Time 9/8 UC
Irvine W, 12-2 9/14 Princeton 10:30 a.m. 9/15-16 So Cal Tournament
All Day 9/21 Long Beach St. 4 p.m. 9/22 Loyola Marymount 12 p.m.
9/29 Pacific 12 p.m. 9/30 Stanford 12 p.m. 10/6 USC 12 p.m. 10/7
Alumni (Exhibition) 12 p.m. 10/13-14 Nor Cal Tournament All Day
10/20 California 3:30 p.m. 10/27 Stanford 2 p.m. 11/3 Pepperdine 12
p.m. 11/4 UC Santa Barbara 12 p.m. 11/10 USC TBA SOURCE: UCLA
Sports Info (schedule is tentative) VICTOR CHEN/Daily Bruin Senior
Staff