This post was updated March 13 at 11:57 a.m.

Repeating perfection was never going to be an easy task.

But with three losses just halfway through the 2025 campaign, coach Adam Wright said the Bruins have a problem.

While No. 4 UCLA women’s water polo got back in the win column against No. 6 Fresno State on Saturday, previous losses to No. 1 Stanford and No. 5 Hawaiʻi at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational left the team disappointed. With just four goals against the Cardinal on Feb. 22, the Bruins suffered their worst loss by score differential since 2021 and scored their fewest points since 2010.

Suffice it to say, a season removed from a 26-0 national championship campaign, UCLA has found itself in vastly different circumstances.

“Success is dangerous,” Wright said. “You forget the little things that are so important in order to have success. You forget the standard.”

Wright said his biggest concern is team culture. While the Bruins retained players such as 2024 first-team All-American junior utility Anna Pearson and National Player of the Year sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Steele – and even added 2024 Cutino Award finalist junior center Bia Mantellato through the transfer portal – the team lost leaders of it’s NCAA title-earning squad.

Utility Panni Szegedi, who led the team in goals as a freshman, returned to Hungary, and six seniors and graduate students departed the team.

If the Bruins are going to defend their crown come May, Wright said, the team’s upperclassmen have to step up and reset the squad’s standard – something his players already seem to have started doing.

“I take a lot of responsibility for what happened this weekend (at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational) and what’s been happening this season,” said senior utility Nicole Struss. “I’m just going to continue to reflect upon how I myself can improve individually, how I can improve as a leader and how I can get this team back on track to where we want to go.”

Beyond leadership, Wright sees another issue creeping in – complacency.

“ّIt’s reminding the younger players that they’re here for a reason,” said junior attacker Carly McMurray. “It’s trusting each other. I know I have trust in every single one of my teammates to execute at any given opportunity, and I know it’s mutual – that they have that for me as well.”

The year is far from over. UCLA has eight matches remaining ahead of the MPSF championship – including rematches against Stanford, Hawaiʻi and USC to close the regular season.

“It’s a real opportunity to strengthen our culture,” Wright said. “It’s an opportunity to strengthen our bonds with each other, an opportunity to strengthen our gratitude and desire and how we play.”