{"id":584472,"date":"2024-04-18T10:57:46","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T17:57:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=584472"},"modified":"2024-04-18T13:03:12","modified_gmt":"2024-04-18T20:03:12","slug":"as-ncaa-womens-water-polo-tourney-nears-theres-jockeying-for-postseason-momentum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/as-ncaa-womens-water-polo-tourney-nears-theres-jockeying-for-postseason-momentum\/","title":{"rendered":"As NCAA Women’s Water Polo Tourney Nears, There’s Jockeying For Postseason Momentum"},"content":{"rendered":"

As NCAA Women’s Water Polo Tourney Nears, There’s Jockeying For Postseason Momentum<\/strong><\/p>\n

Is it possible that one of the Big Four does not qualify for this year\u2019s NCAA Women\u2019s Tournament? It happened in 2016 when Cal didn\u2019t make the cut. Barring a major upset\u2014Hawai\u2019i losing early in the Big West tournament\u2014it\u2019s safe to assume they\u2019re going to NCAAs even if they don\u2019t get their conference\u2019s automatic bid. And, if a non-MPSF team captures one of the at-large spots, one of the nation\u2019s top teams stays home.<\/span><\/p>\n

CWPA Week 13 Women\u2019s Varsity Poll<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

Which makes the <\/span>MPSF Tournament<\/span><\/a>, being held next weekend in Indiana, compelling. First, moving the matches to the Midwest has to impact the Big Four\u2019s dynamic of dominance; Cal, Stanford, UCLA and USC are very comfortable in their West Coast digs. Add in Hawai\u2019i\u2019s potential vulnerability\u2014postseason failure is common in NCAA sports\u2014which ratchets up the pressure on any MPSF team not named Bruins to win and ensure they go to the national championship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1)<\/b> UCLA<\/b><\/a> (20-0; 6-0 MPSF); In a defensive struggle befitting the nation\u2019s two stingiest teams, the Bruins and freshman goalie <\/span>Lauren Steel<\/b>e (20 saves) were a 7-6 winner over host Cal and All-American netminder <\/span>Isabel Williams<\/b> (10 saves). Both teams have their biggest rivals this weekend; Cal faces Stanford on\u00a0 while UCLA faces crosstown nemesis USC in Downtown Los Angeles.<\/span><\/p>\n

2)<\/b> Hawai\u2019i<\/b><\/a> (19-3; 7-0 Big West); For the first time since 2016, there could be an at-large team that\u2019s not from the MPSF. Hawai\u2019i, which completed a perfect regular season with a 12-3 win over UC-Santa Barbara last Saturday, is in perfect shape for the Big West tournament. It\u2019s two weeks away, and the Rainbow Wahine will be well-rested. But should they falter and not capture their conference\u2019s automatic NCAA berth, how could anyone keep the nation\u2019s second best team out of the national championship tournament?<\/span><\/p>\n

3)<\/b> Stanford<\/b><\/a> (16-4; 4-1 MPSF); It seems unwise to overlook the Cardinal. They\u2019ve won the last two titles and eight since 2011. They\u2019ve also lost to UCLA twice; a third loss (in the MPSF tournament) might prove fatal to their three-peat hopes. First they have to get past Cal in Palo Alto this Friday.<\/span><\/p>\n

4)<\/b> USC<\/b><\/a> (17-5; 4-1 MPSF); It seems imperative that the Trojans come up big this Saturday when they host UCLA at Uytengsu Aquatics Center. First, wouldn\u2019t Head Coach <\/span>Keith Moon\u2019s<\/b> players love nothing better than to blemish the Bruins\u2019 perfect season? And, either the Trojans or the Golden Bears could be the odd team out of NCAAs.<\/span><\/p>\n

5)<\/b> California<\/b><\/a> (14-5; 3-2 MPSF); You gotta feel for the Golden Bears. They stymied the nation\u2019s top team, holding the Bruins to a season-low goal total. Unfortunately, UCLA returned the favor, with rookie Steele outplaying All-American Williams. Up next: The Big Splash against Stanford. Cal can right the ship, starting with The Cardinal.<\/span><\/p>\n

6)<\/b> Loyola Marymount<\/b><\/a> (24-2; 6-0 GCC); Unlike Hawai\u2019i, virtually guaranteed a spot in NCAAs, the Lions\u2014on a 17-match win streak that can grow to 18 after Saturday\u2019s home match against Azusa Pacific\u2014have only one shot at NCAAs: capture the GCC\u2019s automatic berth. They\u2019re favored to win their conference tournament but there\u2019s no guarantees, especially against a Fresno State squad which has won the last three titles.<\/span><\/p>\n

7)<\/b> Long Beach State<\/b><\/a> (20-7; 5-1 Big West); A win against UC-Irvine this Thursday and The Beach will lock in the second seed in the Big West. This ensures they don\u2019t meet Hawai\u2019i until the final\u2014assuming the Wahine make it. A winner-take-all match for an NCAA berth? I\u2019m sure LBS Head Coach <\/span>Shana Welch<\/b> would take that.<\/span><\/p>\n

8)<\/b> UC-Irvine<\/b><\/a> (16-10; 4-2 Big West); Because the Anteaters have lost to UC San Diego as well as Hawai\u2019i, they have to beat LBS to avoid top-seeded Hawai\u2019i until the Big West title match. If they lose to The Beach it will break a string of five straight conference finals between UCI and Irvine.<\/span><\/p>\n

9)<\/b> Fresno State<\/b><\/a> (16-7; 4-1 GCC); The Bulldogs close out the regular season this weekend against Pacific and Santa Clara. Barring an upset, they will be the #2 seed and in position to leapfrog LMU for the GCC title.<\/span><\/p>\n

10)<\/b> Arizona State<\/b><\/a> (22-7; 2-4 MPSF); The Sun Devils will rest up this weekend in preparation for next weekend\u2019s MPSF tournament, to be held in Indiana. Finishing fifth in the conference will cap a successful second season for Head Coach <\/span>Pedra Parti<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

11)<\/b> UC-San Diego<\/b><\/a> (16-10; 4-2 Big West); March was an excellent month for the Tritons, with a seven-match win streak and a single loss\u2014to conference leader Hawai\u2019i. April\u2019s been good too, with two wins and a narrow loss to Long Beach State. Wins this weekend against UC-Davis and San Diego State\u2014the annual Harper Cup between the city\u2019s two collegiate programs\u2014will set UCSD up for a strong showing in the postseason.<\/span><\/p>\n

12)<\/b> Princeton<\/b><\/a> (21-6; 10 CWPA); In years past, the CWPA leader would have a contentious rivalry to help prep them for NCAA tournament play. Michigan has been the Tigers\u2019 foil the past few years, but this season the Wolverines have been close but not good enough; Princeton has beaten them twice by a combined five goals. Next weekend in Cambridge the Tigers can complete a perfect conference season at the CWPA Championships\u2014unless Michigan surprises and spoils it.<\/span><\/p>\n

13)<\/b> Michigan<\/b><\/a> (20-9; 8-2 CWPA); A Big 10 contest between the Wolverines and Indiana Hoosiers this weekend is a benchmark for Midwest polo, but Head Coach <\/span>Cassie Churnside<\/b> will likely be looking past a local rival to the CWPA postseason. As things stand, Michigan likely opens against either Brown or Harvard; a match-up with the host Crimson suggests danger ahead: last year the Wolverines stumbled mightily against them in a similar situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

14) <\/b>Indiana<\/b><\/a> (19-8; 1-5 MPSF); The Hoosiers will host the MPSF tournament for the first time since entering the conference in 2019. It\u2019s a big deal; with USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten for football next season, bringing the prestige of the Pac-12 to Bloomington encapsulates what big-time college athletics is all about. 20 wins for the first time since 2018 would be huge for Head Coach <\/span>Taylor McInerney<\/b> in her fifth season.<\/span><\/p>\n

15)<\/b> UC-Santa Barbara<\/b><\/a> (14-13; 1-5 Big West); A win Thursday against Cal State Fullerton will equal the Gaucho\u2019s conference record last season. The loss to CSUN two weeks ago has got to hurt.<\/span><\/p>\n

16)<\/b> Wagner<\/b><\/a> (27-4; 13-0 MAAC); After going undefeated in regular season play for the seventh consecutive season (!) the Seahawks will rest until next weekend\u2019s MAAC Championships. One would predict Wagner is the overwhelming favorite to win another conference title \/ NCAA berth. But last year LIU changed everything with an upset win in the championship match. The Seahawks success earned a bye into the semifinals; they won\u2019t face the Sharks until the final if both advance\u2014and they should.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

17)<\/b> UC-Davis<\/b><\/a> (8-17; 0-5 Big West); The idea that the Aggies were preparing for a postseason run by playing the toughest schedule in NCAA polo\u2014which they did\u2014seemed reasonable. But that\u2019s not what\u2019s happened; a three-match losing streak including losses to CSUN and UC-Santa Barbara suggest a quick exit in the Big West tournament.<\/span><\/p>\n

18)<\/b> San Jose State<\/b><\/a> (9-13; 0-6 MPSF); If UC-Davis is a disappointment, ditto for SJSU. On March 8 they were 9-7 and playing their best ball of the season. Then, a tough loss to Princeton and defeats at the hands of five MPSF opponents sunk the Spartans.<\/span><\/p>\n

19)<\/b> California State University-Northridge<\/b><\/a> (18-14; 2-5 Big West); A team that may be peaking at the best time are the Matadors (what a great mascot \/ logo! Almost as good at the Gauchos!). They\u2019re hot\u2014one goal wins against UC-Santa Barbara and UC-Davis despite a 5-4 loss to cellar-dweller Cal-State Fullerton\u2014allowing CSUN to appear in the Top 20 on the next-to-last poll of the regular season.<\/span><\/p>\n

20)<\/b> Pacific<\/b><\/a> (14-8; 3-2 GCC); The Tigers are on a four-match run, including wins against three GCC opponents. The biggest test of the regular season looms this Friday is: the Bulldogs in Fresno. A win will propel Pacific; they have a final regular season match against GCC foe Concordia.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As NCAA Women’s Water Polo Tourney Nears, There’s Jockeying For Postseason Momentum Is it possible that one of the Big Four does not qualify for this year\u2019s NCAA Women\u2019s Tournament?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4875,"featured_media":584471,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,6,12],"tags":[251,54416],"class_list":["post-584472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-college","category-water-polo","tag-ncaa","tag-water-polo"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nAs NCAA Women's Water Polo Tourney Nears, Pressure Picks Up<\/title>\r\n<meta 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