Upsets Abound in New Women’s Water Polo Season But Top Four Remain Constant

January 26, 2019; Spieker Aquatics Center, Berkeley, CA, USA; Womens Water Polo: Cal Cup: California Golden Bears vs Fresno State Bulldogs; California Goalkeeper Cassidy Ball Photo credit: Catharyn Hayne for USA Water Polo

Polo began again last weekend for #4 Cal, but goalie Cassidy Ball appears in mid-season form. Photo Courtesy: Catharyn Hayne

Two weeks into the 2019 NCAA women’s varsity water polo season there’s been exciting—and surprising—results, with rankings underscoring volatility among the nation’s top 25 teams. What has not changed; USC, Stanford, UCLA and Cal continue their positions as the nation’s top four teams.

The biggest movement in this week’s Collegiate Water Polo Association’s weekly poll was Hawai’i switching places with Arizona State by virtue of the Rainbow Wahine’s 10-7 victory over the Sun Devils last weekend in Honolulu—propelling Maureen Cole’s team (3-0) to #5 in the country. Todd Clapper’s squad (1-1) drops to #7; this will no doubt focus them for five matches this weekend as they host the Cross Conference Challenge.

Also making a big move up were the Spartans of San Jose State, who jumped three spots to 11 from 14 after a 15-8 decision over Long Beach State. The 49ers (0-4) took the poll’s biggest drop, falling six spots to 17. San Jose State will have to wait to extend a 2-1 start; after losing to #2 Stanford last Sunday by a score of 19-4, in two weeks Head Coach Gabor Sarusi’s squad will again face the Cardinal.

Spots 1 – 4 remained the same among the top four Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) teams—as it has all season. #1 USC, coming off a weekend where the Trojans tallied 44 goals in shutout wins over Concordia and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, is now 8-0 and—thanks to a blistering start by Maud Megens (18 goals)—have outscored their opponents an astounding 140 to 19. #2 Stanford finally kicked off its season with three lopsided wins at the Cal Cup in Berkeley, beating, among others, Long Beach State by the score of 25-4 and the Spartans.

January 27, 2019; Spieker Aquatics Center, Berkeley, CA, USA; Womens Water Polo:Cal Cup : California Golden Bears vs UCLA Bruins Exhibition Game; UCLA Attacker Maddie Musselman guarded by California Attacker Georgia Bogle Photo credit: Catharyn Hayne

There’s joy in Westwood; UCLA’s Maddie Musselman is back! Photo Courtesy: Catharyn Hayne

#3 UCLA swept through its opponents again this weekend and is now 7-0. Unlike its two primary MPSF rivals, the Bruins have not been blowing out lesser-ranked teams; in fact, a 6-4 win over UC Santa Barbara two weekends ago greatly raised the spirits of Gaucho fans. One standout newcomer for UCLA has been Val Ayala, with 15 goals already; coupled with Maddie Musselman’s return (9 goals in four games) Head Coach Adam Wright’s team (79 goals) is second in the MPSF in goals-scored—though its still quite early.

#4 Cal (3-0) opened its season at its own tournament, the Cal Cup, beating three ranked opponents—albeit none higher than #13 UC Davis—but clearly missed all-time leading scorer Dora Antal in a series of 2-goal wins. #6 UC Irvine (3-1) traveled to the Cal Baptist Mini Invite and knocked off their hosts, #24 Lancers, and #25 Azusa Pacific. Key to the Anteater attack; Mary Brooks (10 goals) exploded for 5 goals in a 16-6 win over the Cougars.

After splitting its four matches two weekends ago at the UC Santa Barbara tournament, #8 (T) Michigan (2-2) spent time back in Ann Arbor preparing for a California return this coming weekend at the Stanford Invitation. The Wolverines will open up against the host Cardinal, face #13 UC Davis, and finish their weekend against Pacific (1-0), also ranked #8. Rounding out the Top Ten is UC Santa Barbara (4-1) which also took last weekend off after hosting a tournament on the season’s opening weekend. The tenth-ranked Gauchos will travel to the Cross Conference Challenge for five matches, including a match-up Sunday with the host Sun Devils.

A number of teams will begin inaction this weekend; #12 Princeton will travel to Tempe to open its season at the ASU Invitational, where the Tigers—led by new Head Coach Derek Ellingson—will play four matches, including one against tournament hosts ASU as well as Santa Barbara. At the UCLA Mini-Tournament this weekend, #17 Fresno State will meet the Bruins for the second straight weekend—the Bulldogs dropped a 14-8 decision to UCLA last Sunday at the Cal Cup—which is where #15 Loyola Marymount hopes to continue a strong start, thought the Lions will face their hosts and high-flying Hawai’i—who may be vulnerable after their big win last weekend.

January 27, 2019; Spieker Aquatics Complex, Berkeley, CA, USA; Collegiate Women's Water Polo:Cal Cup: Stanford University Cardinals vs San Jose State University Spartans; Stanford Driver Ryann Neushul shoots on San Jose StatePhoto credit: Catharyn Hayne

A chip off the ol’ family block; Ryann Neushul lines up for a shot. Photo Courtesy: Catharyn Hayne

Interesting match-ups will take place in Providence this weekend at the Bruno Classic, when the La Salle Explorers, sporting new Head Coach Tom Hyman and a 23-match losing streak dating to 2017, face Saint Francis, PA. Then the Red Flash face St. Francis Brooklyn and their new staff; Head Coach Bora Dimitrov (who has coached the SFC men that last two seasons) and his assistant, Alana Burgess, who arrived in Brooklyn Heights two months ago. It’s the opening of the season for both the Explorers and the Terriers and will likely be highly competitive—and entertaining—matches.

Finally, #19 Indiana (1-3) remains true to its commitment of meeting expectations of MPSF competition. Ryan Castle’s squad is out in California for the second time in three weeks, this time at the Stanford Invitational, where they will face the host Cardinals, Cal and UC Davis. In a recent interview, UCLA Wright’s marveled at the Hoosiers commitment to getting better, while SwimSwam has a feature out on Castle’s young squad, which includes fantastic freshmen Tina Doherty and Izzy Mandema (6 goals each).

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