You've got to play the best to be the best. And let's face it. Who doesn't want to be the best?
Certainly not the women's water polo team, which has taken this maxim to heart as Princeton (8-3) travels to sunny California over Spring Break to play seven teams in five days.
"We will be playing experienced teams that have a shot at winning NCAAs," freshman driver Jazmin Brown said. "Playing tough teams teaches our young team valuable lessons and forces us to work together to be able to compete."
While the Tigers' opponents thus far have not been easy, including such teams as No. 1 Michigan, No. 2 Hartwick and No. 3 Indiana, all these teams are ranked in the Collegiate Water Polo Association's poll and not the National Collegiate poll. The latter poll is dominated by teams on the west coast and teams that Princeton is preparing to play.
"I have very high expectations for the California trip," sophomore driver Megan Donahue said. "We will have some tough games, but they will force us to work together as a team and utilize the things we have been working on in practice."
The itinerary for the Tigers includes UC-San Diego (9-11), No. 9 UCLA (9-1), San Diego State (13-3), Redlands (Division III No. 2), Pacific, and Cal-Baptist. Princeton, although No. 5 in the CWPA poll, is not on the National poll. In fact, despite the tough competition, none of the teams in the CWPA are ranked nationally.
All of these teams present significant challenges for Princeton, as they have a long history playing one another each year. The CWPA, in comparison, is much newer, and new teams join it every year. Case in point, the Tigers recently played Maryland, a new addition to the Southern Division of the CWPA.
"A week of intensive water polo will help us work out a lot of the logistics and add more experience to our season," freshman utility Elyse Colgan said. "Our season starts a little later than most other schools because of the Ivy League practicing restrictions. The trip will be a great opportunity for us to play some really competitive and different teams."
The greater experience against tougher competition also equips the Tigers with skills they can use against teams here on the East coast. Princeton is No. 5 in the CWPA, the highest ranked team in the Southern Division. Above them are No. 1 Michigan, No. 2 Hartwick, No. 3 Indiana and No. 4 Brown. The Tigers have already played the top three teams, which resulted in the three losses Princeton has suffered and have had a large impact on the Tigers' chances to go to the NCAA.
Brown is not in the Southern Division but may play Princeton in the ECAC Tournament.
Indiana and Hartwick both could face the Tigers in the Southern Division Championships. Last year, Indiana handed Princeton two huge losses to end its chances at the Southern title.
Michigan also has a hand in deciding the Tigers' fate. Princeton lost to the Wolverines in the Eastern Championships to keep it away from an NCAA bid last season.
"Last year's trip taught us a lot," Donahue said, "and helped us realize what we needed to work on to prepare ourselves for the end of the season — and I hope that this year's trip will do the same."
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