Two-time champ UCLA will defend its waterworld dynasty

  BRIDGET O’BRIEN/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Senior center
Eleanor Murphy will definitely use her senior
leadership to help the Bruins in their quest for a third
consecutive national title.

By Colin Yuhl
Daily Bruin Contributor

Though men’s basketball historically gets all the credit,
there is another dynasty building within UCLA athletics. The
women’s water polo team is the two-time defending national
champion, and has won the championship in five of the past six
years. Since 1995, they have an impressive record of 180-33.

While that may not be quite the same as an 88-game win streak,
it’s clear that women’s water polo has established
itself as a dominant program. Though they lost their best player
and last year’s NCAA Tournament MVP in Coralie Simmons, the
team isn’t lacking in veteran leadership or talent.

The center position boasts four quality players, where the
Bruins return Kelly Heuchan and Ashley Stachowski. Heuchan was the
second leading scorer last year, and will serve as a team captain
this year. Stachowski is an excellent passer and scorer. Natalie
Golda is an aggressive player and will bring a strong offensive
presence off the bench. Eleanor Murphy is a senior leader and will
also come off the bench to play center.

The team’s biggest asset and their preeminent strength is
at the center defender position. UCLA has arguably the three best
defenders in the nation in Robin Beuregard, Jenny Lamb and Amber
Stachowski. Beuregard was an Olympian on the silver-medal winning
team in Sydney, and is an overwhelming defensive player. Amber
Stachowski may only be a freshman, but she’s played
exceedingly well amidst lofty expectations.

“She’s one of the best, if not the best, player on
this team,” head coach Adam Krikorian said.

The team will rely on this defensive core to stop opposing
centers and playmakers, as well as start the devastating
counter-attack that has come to be the hallmark of UCLA
women’s water polo.

The trio of Jessica Lopez, Maureen Flanagan and Thalia Munroe
will handle the attacker/playmaker position. Experienced and
talented, all three will provide the offensive punch in the
counter-attack. Flanagan is a physical player and will be counted
on to be a defensive stopper. Lopez and Munroe are high-energy,
explosive players, and will use their speed to take advantage of
opposing defenses.

Jamie Hipp will once again take her place in goal. The junior
netminder had offseason surgery on both her shoulders for the third
straight year, so maintaining her health will be a key factor in
the team’s success. Should injuries force Hipp to miss games,
the Bruins have an experienced backup in Christel Smith.

This year’s team is talented and determined. But, they
still have a 500-pound gorilla on their backs, and it wears the red
and white colors of Stanford. The Cardinal accounted for all four
of UCLA’s losses last year. In two meetings this season, the
Bruins have lost both contests, though to their credit both games
have been very close. That brings the current tally to six
consecutive regular season losses.

Of course, lodged securely between these losses is a victory
over Stanford in last year’s national title game. The team
knows that if they’re going to be crowned national champions
for a third straight year, they must get over the “Curse of
the Cardinal.”

“We really want to go out and prove that last year’s
win wasn’t a fluke,” Beuregard said.

The Bruins will get another shot at redemption this Sunday when
they face off against Stanford in what should be a monster
conference showdown.

If the old adage still holds true, then this, the third meeting
between the top two teams in the nation in 2002, should be the
charm.