Women's Water Polo: Gifted frosh will be key

Start with a returning senior leader in goal, add three of last year’s leading scorers, and mix in an exciting group of seven talented freshmen. Let congeal for four months, uncover, and — voila! — you have the 2008 women’s water polo team, primed for one of its most exciting seasons in recent memory.

Last year, the Tigers finished ranked 17th in the country following an impressive 20-9 campaign. The team went undefeated in the College Water Polo Association (CWPA) South Division with a 6-0 record and lost to Hartwick in the 2007 Eastern Championship final.

Princeton enters 2008 with even higher expectations after being ranked 15th in the CWPA National Preseason Poll. While preseason rankings are never a guarantee of in-season success, the Tigers’ early accolades indicate the high expectations surrounding this year’s team.

The squad is anchored by senior goalie Natalie Kim, a returning starter. Kim finished last season with a 15-7 record and .582 save percentage. More importantly, her veteran presence will help guide a team that is high on skill but relatively short on experience.

“We’re a relatively young team,” sophomore utility Phoebe Champion said. “But we have the potential to do a lot of damage this season, especially with a strong senior like Natalie in goal.”

Joining Kim in the starting lineup will be the returning triumvirate of sophomore scorers Champion, utility Helen Meigs and two-meter defender Lauren Sabb. As freshmen, the trio combined for 102 goals, 66 assists and 113 steals.

This season, even more will be expected of the three sophomores, who must replace the offense of 2007 graduates Elyse Colgan and Karina Reyner, last year’s two leading goal scorers. The sophomores will also play an important role in introducing the Tigers’ bumper crop of freshmen to the rigors of collegiate water polo.

Princeton’s freshman class will be one of the keys to the team’s success. The seven Tiger freshmen replace seven graduated seniors, and some will be thrust immediately into starting roles. Driver Sarah Hutchison, driver Julie Phillips and utility Tanya Wilcox will help fill the hole left by the departures of Colgan and Reyner. Freshman goalie Christina Michel will provide some depth, combining with Kim to create a formidable tandem.

“Our freshman class will have a huge impact on our season,” Meigs said. “Between filling in the roles of our graduated players, learning our plays and bringing their own skills to our game, we are expecting a lot ... But we’re confident they can handle it. They’ve already proven themselves to be smart players and hard workers.”

The Tigers have all the pieces necessary to improve last year’s loss to Hartwick in the Eastern Championship finals. The only question is how long it will take Princeton to put the pieces together as it competes against more experienced opponents. Early signs of the Tigers’ rapid development seem promising, however.

“I think our individual styles of play are generally more similar this year than last year, and with such big freshman and sophomore classes, this makes a big impact,” Champion said. “As a team I think we’re clicking very quickly considering how early in the season it is.”

Princeton’s combination of returning veterans and talented freshmen should also alleviate some of the pressure that injuries can often put on a team. Last year, the Tigers were plagued by injuries and, as a consequence, struggled to develop a rhythm throughout the season. This problem will certainly be mitigated by Princeton’s influx of young talent, which will enable the Tigers to keep constant pressure on their opponents without expending too much energy early in games.

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“This year we have a lot of the same roles defined and filled as we did last year, however I think this year we are quite a bit deeper,” Champion said. “I think what we do on offense this year will be more creative and dynamic than last year and really involve everyone in the pool. We also have a lot of really strong outside shooters now, as well as multiple setters and defenders.”

This combination of skill and depth will be tested throughout the year by a schedule that includes numerous top-20 opponents. The Tigers open the season with the Princeton Invitational, where they will face No. 6 San Diego State and No. 18 Michigan, a team Princeton beat by one goal last year. While these teams will force the young Tigers to play as well as veterans, the team is looking forward to the challenge.

“We’re excited to play more West Coast teams,” Meigs said. “The San Diego State and Loyola Marymount games are both good opportunities for us to try our moves on some new faces and against stronger players. Plus, it will be great preparation for our East Coast competition.”

If the team can perform well against these top-ranked opponents, it could be an early sign that the Tigers’ exciting recipe of veteran leadership and young talent is emerging as a threat — not only on the East Coast, but throughout the country.