While Indiana definitely deserves the jump in the polls it is surprising to see UC Irvine advance only two spots after a solid weekend. The Anteaters defeated UC Davis, then ranked sixth. Then they traveled to Berkeley, losing to Cal by only two before finishing off their weekend trouncing Pacific. For all that, UC Irvine only moved into the ninth position, still two spots behind where UC Davis currently stands.

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Having watched several WWPA vs. MPSF match-ups is is clear that top WWPA teams do not have inferior athletes but they play like it. Which begs the question, why?

• Money -  The success of athletic departments is directly related to the money it makes. The normal trend in college athletics is first the football team wins then the basketball teams and the trickle down continues. With the exception of Stanford and their self-sustaining athletic department, when the football team does well everyone’s budget increases. A greater budget for water polo teams means more assistant coaches, better equipment, and more travel opportunities all of which add to the belief of superiority.
• Social Hierarchy - it is accepted that MPSF teams are superior to WWPA teams. The polls and previous results constantly reflect this. Then incoming freshmen know how the leagues compare and the cycle perpetuates. This creates embedded beliefs that shape behaviors.
• Team Expectations - UCLA, Stanford, Cal, Hawaii, and USC all expect to win the national championship and they play like it. Occasionally they will slip up and drop a game but their seasons revolve around the final game in May. Ask WWPA teams and they want to make the championship tournament. They do not want to win; they just want to get in.

Of the main reasons for disparity, only one is tangible. Unfortunately, when you do not have a Division I football team on campus then you cannot milk the bowl game/TV contract/apparel cash cow. However, that is only one piece and not the most important. UC Davis and Loyola Marymount can both make the top 10 of the national poll. They possess the strength, speed and intelligence necessary to play at the same level as long as they believe they can. Here’s to increasing the parity in women’s water polo!

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#5 Hawaii: Bye Weekend.

#4 USC: USC opened the weekend hosting #9 Loyola Marymount. LMU scored the first goal and held tight with the Trojans for the first quarter. However, both teams entered the game knowing USC would win. After ten minutes of regulation both teams played that way. Final score: USC 13, LMU 5.

The second game of the weekend for USC against Cal State Northridge followed the same formula. Northridge only trailed by one after the end of the first quarter but never expecting to win will never produce a win. Final score: USC 12, CSUN 4.

#3 Cal: Cal opened their weekend against a surging UC Irvine and received an unexpected test. Even after a slow first quarter for the Anteaters, they continued to fight. Both teams were led by their goalies in this defensive battle. Cal’s opening quarter proved to be the difference. Final score: Cal 5, UCI 3.

The second game for Cal against Long Beach State turned in to a completely opposite game. Cal scored with ease while LBSU provided little resistance. Good game for Cal’s stat sheet. Final score: Cal 13, LBSU 3.

#2 Stanford: Stanford first faced #7 San Diego State on Saturday and never relented from their methodical attack. Each quarter yielded three goals for the Cardinal while the Aztecs struggled to keep pace. Final score: Stanford 12, SDSU 9.

The next victim for Stanford was Arizona State. The Sun Devils entered the game unprepared to establish dominance or take control and showed it on numerous man-up possessions. Final score: Stanford 12, ASU 6.

#1 UCLA: UCLA headed to UC Santa Barbara to play a game that was won six months ago. UCSB had no desire to be in the pool against the number one team in the nation and it showed all game long. Final score: UCLA 12, UCSB 0.

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#4 USC: A week after sustaining an overtime loss to Stanford and a one-goal loss to Cal, USC has a fantastic opportunity to rebound. This weekend they first face #9 Loyola Marymount. LMU had a rough weekend in Irvine dropping three of their four games by a grand total of seven goals. With so many difficult loses salient in their minds it is sure to chip away at their confidence and ability to create a dominant posture. If they allow USC to open up an early lead then it will be a long game for LMU. Advantage: USC. The second game of the weekend against Cal State Northridge should be an great game for all players to record minutes and refine tactics.

#3 Cal: After a great weekend in Irvine, the Golden Bears should feel confident about their game. Cal opens their weekend with a game against UC Irvine at home. The Anteaters have not faired well against top 10 opponents this year and that trend will continue. The second game of the weekend for Cal looks to be more of the same when they face Long Beach State on Sunday. The 49ers have proven able to keep it close against top competition but have yet to show the efficacy necessary to get a big win.

#2 Stanford: Stanford first hosts #7 San Diego State on Saturday. The Aztecs have a disappointing Irvine Tournament fresh in their minds after losing their first round match-up with UC Davis. They did manage to win out the remainder of their schedule but the damage had already been done. Stanford should have a great deal of confidence entering the game knowing they defeated Davis soundly. The Sunday game is a rematch against Arizona State. The first time around Stanford took care of the Sun Devils by 10 goals but that was almost a month ago. While ASU has improved so has Stanford. The game should be closer but not by much.  

#1 UCLA: UCLA’s sole game this weekend is against UCSB. It will be their only game before they square off again with Stanford in what should be another instant classic. UCSB will provide little resistance and this game may actually hurt the Bruins in preparation for Stanford because of the lack of competition.

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Earlier in February Davis showed they could be competitive with any team in the country when they played Stanford even for one quarter. Unfortunately, after those strong eight minutes they looked to fall apart. They were as strong and talented as Stanford but seemed to no longer believe in themselves as the game progressed. That was definitely not the case for two days in Irvine.

The first game for the Aggies was against San Diego State, then ranked sixth in the country. Davis cruised to an early lead in the first half only to have it slip away by the fourth quarter. But they would not be denied. They willed themselves to win by breaking the 7-7 tie and holding a one goal lead for the final two minutes of regulation. This emotional win proved costly as they dropped their next game by a staggering 11 goal deficit to USC but quickly rebounded.

The third game of the weekend for Davis pitted them against the then #7 San Jose State. This game seemed to follow the same formula as the San Diego State game. The Aggies again cruised to an early, first half lead and then let it slip away in the fourth quarter. Fortunately, no late game offensive heroics were necessary as the Spartans could not overcome a 5 goal deficit in the fourth quarter.

Davis showed again they can hang with any team in the country when they are all on the same page. While these two wins were very impressive, the manner of execution leaves many uncertainties. Twice they built up leads only to have them fall apart. If they do not gain an early lead do they have the confidence to maintain composure against a team that keeps the game close for 32 minutes? Can the Aggies erase a deficit if they let up early goals to other top tier teams? We may find answers as soon as this weekend when UC Davis hosts UC Irvine and Long Beach State.

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The weekend’s upsets began with UC Davis showing its potential against San Diego State in the first-round match-up. Davis gave the Aztecs an abrupt end to their undefeated season winning 8-7 and showing they are a top tier team, at least for one game. Their second round game brought them back to earth as USC rolled them 12-1.

 Cal then avenged their early season loss to Hawaii in overtime winning 11-9. Cal’s second round victory then pitted them against the mighty UCLA Bruins for which the Bears had no answer. After spotting the Bruins three goals in the first quarter Cal could not get on track and dropped the contest 9-4. But their weekend was not done.

Cal’s final game was for third place against USC. USC’s youth has created a streaky emotional dynamic in which the stresses of long tournaments can take a toll on their concentration. This happened to the Trojans at the Stanford Invitational when they lost to ASU. USC had Cal on the ropes with a two goal lead early in the third quarter but could not hold it. Cal battled back to tie the game at 8 at the end of the third quarter. They then dominated the defensive end to make a one goal lead stick for the final 4 minutes of regulation for 3rd place.

For the championship game, UCLA received its first test of the season. Stanford held even through regulation and two periods of overtime before letting up the golden goal in sudden death. While UCLA won, it is Stanford that should have gained the most confidence from the effort. After all, the NCAA championships will be held at Avery this year and a little home fan support would have spelled the difference. 

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The tournament opens Saturday with many formality games before things get interesting. UCLA will run through their bracket consisting of Arizona State, Loyola Marymount, and Cal State Northridge. Stanford will do the same with their bracket consisting of San Jose State, UC Irvine, and UC San Diego. However, the final two brackets could produce very close games on Saturday, maybe even an upset. The two games on Saturday providing the most drama will be when #3 USC meets #6 San Diego State and #4 Hawaii faces #5 Cal.

USC vs. SDSU: Last week the Trojans got back on track after a frustrating Stanford Invitational where they placed 2nd but lost two games in the process, including a heartbreaker to ASU. However, last Sunday in Tempe, USC showed up ready to trounce and beat ASU to the tune of 11-5. SDSU, on the other hand will enter the game undefeated on the season. While their competition has not been top tier, solidifying the habit of winning will pay dividends in close games. Outlook: USC.

Hawaii vs. Cal: Earlier in the season Hawaii traveled to Berkeley and beat Cal by one. Hawaii then went on to take 4th at the Stanford Invitational while Cal edged out SJSU in overtime for 5th. Conventional wisdom reasons if Cal cannot beat Hawaii with home-pool advantage then they shouldn’t beat them in a neutral site. However, Hawaii’s grueling travel requirements could provide the distraction necessary for Cal to pull off the upset. Outlook: Hawaii, again by one.

In the end, the only question that really matters is can anyone stop UCLA? It looks like we will have to wait for the championship game on Sunday to find out. Championship game outlook: UCLA vs. Stanford with UCLA winning by two.

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Davis didn’t quite give up, they still went through the motions. However, they were never able to mount a sustained attack against Stanford’s defense after the first quarter. The enigma to the game is Davis played even with Stanford for eight minutes, even holding a lead. Unfortunately, once Stanford gained focus and pushed back the Aggies resorted to the fetal position and gave up the game. This game showed Davis was as fast, strong, and talented as the Cardinal but simply didn’t want the game as much. It was like they had been expecting to lose this game for months.

Two words: Lauren Silver. Two more words: doesn’t miss. Four goals is just another day at the office. That is exactly how Stanford handled the game. They executed their game plan and quickly chipped away at the confidence of the Aggies. It got to the point where the Aggies set up their offense with only two or three players inside seven meters.  

The final score of this game really misrepresents how close the game was. After the first quarter it was clear the Aggies were looking ahead to other, more favorable games while Stanford remained focused on the now. At the end of the day, however, UC Davis has a team capable of playing Stanford to within two goals. If these two teams ever meet again this season, it would be interesting to see Davis play with expectations of winning.

Next up for the Cardinal: The Irvine Tournament, February 23rd and 24.

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First on the docket is Pacific. The most notable statistic about this team is the fact that they have won 5 games in the past two years. A prolonged period of any behavior breeds acceptance and comfort. Shifting their record will take a shift in their culture of expectancies. Unfortunately, that has yet to happen this year.

Sunday’s game should provide a little more suspense. UC Davis is ranked 11th in the country and placed 5th at last weekend’s Triton Invitational. At this point they are a solid second tier team but shouldn’t be taken lightly. If the Aggies can remain confident in what they do then this game could get interesting. However, having lost earlier in the year to Cal by 7 goals doesn’t bode well for their collective efficacy.

An interesting subplot this weekend is the schedule of the Aggies. They will play Stanford at noon on Sunday, then travel to Stockton to play Pacific at 5:00pm. Clearly, they are not too concerned about what the Tigers have to offer. Will Davis look ahead to their second game Sunday while still at Avery? Will Stanford remain focused through two games they know they should win?

Show up and find out!

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The Stanford women’s team played two key games to reach third place. The first was against USC on Saturday afternoon. The game began as a defensive battle as no one could find the back of the net in the first quarter. Key saves and unfriendly posts kept both teams in check until USC opened up and put three away in the second quarter to Stanford’s one. From there Stanford battled back but could never control the momentum to make a sustained run. Final score: Stanford 4, USC 5.

The score indicates a very close game but USC managed to find a post or crossbar on seven shots in the first half. An inch or two could have meant the difference between a two-goal halftime deficit or an insurmountable lead. On the other hand, the Cardinal did dominate the fourth quarter. They showed resilience and should gain confidence from knowing they have what it takes to defeat them.

The second key game was against Hawaii for third place. This game diametrically opposed the USC match-up; both teams scored six goals in the first half. However, Stanford’s consistancy proved too much for the weary Warriors in the second half. The final 16 minutes of regulation yielded 4 goals for the Cardinal, zero for Hawaii. Final score: Stanford 10, Hawaii 6.

The main theme of the weekend was cohesion. Teams maintaining cohesion won and teams departing from cohesive play lost. Much of this can be attributed to the nature of the tournament. This is the first time in 2008 these teams had the opportunity to play top-tier teams and adjusting to a high level of competition takes time. The other factor revolves around how teams faced deficits. Countless times during the tournament a single player would become frustrated with their team’s progress and take it upon themselves to even the score. Unfortunately, a hero mindset forces players to play outside their ability and lead to offensive fouls, ejections or worse.

As the season continues, teams gain experience and learn to trust the abilities around them. The National Championship will be won by the team with the greatest level of collective confidence. Stanford took a great step in the right direction this weekend. Next up: University of the Pacific on February 16th at Avery. 

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