A 17-5 loss might seem like a demoralizing start to the women's water polo team's eight-game spring break road trip, but given the opponent — No. 1 UCLA — and the score the last time the teams played — a 16-1 Bruin victory — the Tigers weren't about to let the game get them down.
"[UCLA's] starting lineup is basically the Olympic team," said sophomore utility Elyse Colgan, who had two goals in the loss. "A lot of those girls just came back from Athens in October."
Instead of hanging their heads, the Tigers (18-7 overall) built on the experience gained against UCLA and refocused before facing several more of the nation's top teams. The mindset paid off to the tune of a 5-3 record for the week.
"It's always a good way to get the weekend started," head coach Luis Nicolao said. "Wakes you up and gets you out of the jet lag."
The level of competition stayed high, as the Tigers found themselves two goals in the hole later that day, against the No. 18 UC-San Diego. Despite that early deficit, Princeton responded in the second and third quarters with five consecutive goals and used tough defensive pressure and composure to claim a clutch 5-4 win.
"It was a manner of a mindset game," Nicolao said. "We needed to adjust quickly."
As the first two games indicated, the trip to California was anything but relaxing fun and sun for the Tigers. Princeton faced Bucknell and seven California teams as the Tigers attempted to prove they deserved their No. 16 national rank — an impressive standing in a traditionally West Coast-dominated sport, though 11 of the 19 Princeton team members hail from California.
Throughout the stretch, the Tigers relied on consistent offensive contributions from sophomore driver Danielle Carlson and Colgan, who recorded 14 and 19 goals, respectively. Senior goalie Madeline McCarthy and freshman goalie Natalie Kim alternated as a solid last line of defense with occasional help from sophomore netminder Shannon DeVore, combining to give up only 36 goals.
On Mar. 13, Princeton again started slowly and lost its first game of the day, 10-7. The Tigers and San Diego State were neck-and-neck in the game with the exception of a rough third quarter, in which the Aztecs outscored Princeton 4-1. The Tigers controlled the tempo throughout the next game in a 9-5 win over Bucknell later that day.
The second half of the trip opened on Mar. 15 with a 9-3 loss to No. 13 UC-Irvine. The game featured a strong five-goal explosion in the third quarter similar to the one in the earlier San Diego contest, but this time Princeton did not have the good fortune to be on the offensive end of the scores. The Tigers could not recover from Irvine's momentum and did not score a goal in the entire second half. Even Kim's 11 saves could not hold off Irvine's offensive prowess.
On March 16, Princeton squared off against two Claremont colleges, playing Occidental and Pomona. The Tigers won both games handily, 9-3 and 12-3, respectively, as expected entering the games. Both victories highlighted the depth of Princeton's offense, as seven different players scored goals for the Tigers against Occidental, and six notched goals against Pomona.
Princeton continued its two-game winning streak by defeating Redlands, 12-2, on Mar. 17. With the continuous play throughout the six days, by the end the women were playing together and clicking as a team.
"Our passing is getting a lot better," Colgan said. "A lot of girls have been stepping up and shooting outside."
The Tigers have continued to build on their strong defense, but have also been focusing on offensive plays recently. Princeton has practiced a lot of man-up plays in order to put the players' speed to good use on the offensive end.
"The whole purpose of the trip was to play some high-level games and get some experience," Nicolao said.
Princeton hopes to use that experience in its next games on Apr. 2-3 in the ECAC Championships.
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