While most students have begun spring break and are relaxing after finals week, the Bruins have continued to compete in what may be the most important stretch of the year before the postseason.

No. 2 UCLA women’s water polo (16-2, 3-1 MPSF) defeated No. 11 Harvard (23-2, 4-1 CWPA) 15-4 Saturday afternoon at Spieker Aquatics Center to complete the Bruins’ second-to-last weekend of their current homestand before the end of the regular season. The Bruins held the Crimson to their lowest-scoring game and just their third single-digit performance this year.

“There’s no doubt that this is the best team they’ve (Harvard) had in a really long time,” said interim co-head coach Jason Falitz. “We knew coming in that they’re a team that, this year, has been used to winning … and that we were going to have to be ready.”

Freshman Katherine O’Dea, who started the match and has played in all 18 games for the Bruins, credited pre-game meetings and preparation for the team’s defensive outing against Harvard. The attacker, who logged two steals on Saturday, said that the team emphasized three-second presses to disrupt opposing ball movement.

And that strategy was evident throughout the game, with the Bruins consistently forcing late shot attempts and several shot clock violations. Regardless of the rotation, all six field players in blue pressed Crimson shooters up high and limited their ability to swing the ball across the pool, limiting the shooting pressure junior goalkeepers Lauren Steele and Joey Niz – who each played two quarters in the cage – faced.

Of the 24 shot attempts Harvard produced, only four converted – three of which defender Niki Piovan netted – and several were awkward float attempts that were either too high above the net or slow enough for an easy block.

“We always have a mentality of defense first, and everything else is the consequence of that,” said senior center Bia Mantellato. “I want to be very connected with my teammates and lock every little thing down because towards the end, it’s really the little things that matter and making every moment count.”

And the Bruins have been vocal about how much they pride themselves on defense all year, with the squad honing in on physical techniques and communication in practice.

Even when the offense has experienced a lull, such as UCLA’s one-point third quarter after a swift seven-point performance in the opening frame, defensive consistency has been a pillar of the Westwood bunch’s success.

Throughout the affair, the Bruins effectively trapped and contested the Crimson’s best options, as center defender Emma Gilbert, attacker Maya O’Dea and utility Heidi Heffelfinger – Harvard’s three-leading scorers from last season, excluding Piovan – shot a combined 1-for-9 from the field. With a heavy press limiting high percentage looks, UCLA tied its fewest goals allowed in a match and now rides a 10-match streak of not allowing more than 10 goals in a game, discounting its 19-18 overtime affair against No. 4 California on Feb. 21.

But for the Bruin brand, a good defense is key to setting up a successful offense.

“We’ve said here since I’ve been here, starting 10 years ago, that if we play good defense, it fuels our offense – and that’s going into any phase of the game,” Falitz said. “If we play great defense, we’re probably going to have a really good transition, which will lead to a really good attack.”

With Katherine and Mantellato leading the way with a combined five steals, the Bruins forced 13 total turnovers against the Crimson, allowing the Westwood squad to swim out in transition and get quick looks before the opposing defense could establish itself.

Not even two minutes into the game, Harvard called a timeout after back-to-back goals from redshirt senior attacker Emma Lineback and senior utility Lily Gess opened the contest.

Mantellato – UCLA’s second-leading scorer on the year – was particularly focal to Saturday’s offense. Her gravity inside drew several defenders and allowed her to facilitate the ball to open teammates. Alongside her pair of assists, the São Paulo local also flashed her scoring prowess with a team-high three goals on just five attempts.

“Every position that I’m put in, I’m just going to give my 100%,” Mantellato said. “We really play group first and don’t think about individual things. I just play my best role when I play different positions and just do everything for my teammates.”

But for players like Katherine, whose older sister Maya competed against her on Saturday, the Harvard match was both an opportunity to continue preparing for the postseason and one of personal excitement.

Nonetheless, Katherine said that the opportunities she has gotten all season have motivated her to be the best she can be.

“I would say the opportunities I’m getting show me that the coaching staff trusts me,” Katherine said. “They see my potential in practice, and I’m always trying to show them my best and give it my all no matter what.”