The Oregon women’s Water Polo Club made a splash in University Place, Wash., Jan. 28-29, as the Ducks’ “A” team opened its Northwest division title defense with four dominant wins.
The Ducks also sent a second squad to the tournament, which added to the successful weekend by defeating Oregon State in a close match. Both teams can now look forward to a full schedule of competition, including large tournaments outside of divisional play to prepare for what Oregon hopes to be a return trip to the national stage.
The Ducks’ “A” team opened its new campaign in grueling fashion with three matches scheduled on the first day of the season. Oregon showed few negative effects from the offseason, dispatching Western Washington 17-5 in its first contest. Matches against Oregon State and Washington continued the pattern. The Beavers were defeated 14-3 and the Huskies met a similar fate by a 14-5 score.
“We were definitely in much better shape,” Oregon coach Matt Baumann said. “They were unselfish, played heads-up and they understand the flow of the game.”
The Oregon “B” team, pitted against the other schools’ “A” squads, fell in two close encounters on the first day of the tournament. First came an 8-6 defeat at the hands of Western Washington, followed by a 12-10 loss against Western Oregon. The “B” team bounced back the following day, edging Oregon State in a 5-4 match before facing a tough Washington team that rolled to a 24-2 victory.
“It was a trial by fire so to speak,” Baumann said. “(The ‘B’ team) is going to get significantly better over the course of the year.”
The Ducks’ first team went into the pool only once on the second day, but held on to their form. The team took care of Western Oregon 16-5, completing a sweep of the tournament.
“We have an ability to play together,” Club coordinator Kristen Laird said. “There’s an awareness, we know where the other players are going to be.”
The Ducks’ start to the 2006 season resembles their strong end to 2005. Oregon finished eighth out of 16 teams at the Collegiate Water Polo National Tournament, its second appearance in the last five years.
The Ducks suit up 21 players, a larger number than most teams in the region. Baumann cited the growing popularity of water polo in general and the success of Oregon’s program in particular as the reasons for the increase in numbers. The club only returns one starter from last year, but this season’s edition has its own strengths.
“It’s a completely different team,” Baumann said. “Last year we had more power, but this year we’re more athletic, and we’re clicking much earlier.”
The Ducks will spend a lot of time in the pool over the next few weeks. Following its next league tournament Feb. 18-19, the team will compete in back-to-back tournaments.
One is in San Jose, Calif., against some of the top teams in California before the Ducks return to the Northwest for the league championship March 4-5 in Corvallis. Oregon will then travel to Ohio for its last meet until the national competition.
“We have a promising group,” Club co-coordinator Michelle Pera said. “We can build on last year; there’s no way we’re not going to nationals.”
Oregon sweeps four tourney matches
Daily Emerald
February 6, 2006
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