Author: Ryan Graff
According to polls by the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA), the Women’s Water Polo team (10-8 overall, 0-0 conference) is in their ninth consecutive week of being ranked number one in the country for NCAA Division III teams. The Tigers are performing well against many challenging opponents, including a stunning 13-12 victory over Division I number 20 Cal State Bakersfield on Feb. 19. As of March 19, they completed their schedule of non-SCIAC games and have shifted focus to conference opponents for the remaining seven games of the season. The real test of their talent lies ahead, as the SCIAC accounts for seven of the top eight teams in the nation ranked by the CWPA.
Leading the way for the Tigers this year are attacker Karie Nickle (senior), center Julie Monday (senior), utility player Tessa Bailey-Findley (junior) and center Nanea Fujiyama (sophomore). Fujiyama leads the team with 41 goals, which she complements with 29 steals and 11 assists. Monday and Nickle are leading scorers with 32 and 31 goals, respectively. Nickle has the most steals (35) to go with 29 assists. Bailey-Findley leads the Tigers with 32 steals and has also scored 13 goals.
Rounding out the starters for the Tigers are attacker Corrine Casey (junior), defensive player Rebecca Hofer (senior) and goaltender Rachel Adeleye (sophomore). Adeleye, who played goaltender for the first time in her career last season, has an impressive 165 saves and 28 steals. “Playing goalie for the Tigers has been a great experience for me, and I hope that our success continues for the rest of the season,” Adeleye said.
Last season, Nickle, Monday and Bailey-Findley earned themselves All-SCIAC, All-NCAA Tournament and All-Academic awards. Nickle owns the Occidental single-season record for assists (89) and the Occidental career record for steals (248). Also, Bailey-Findley holds the Occidental single-season record for steals (112). Fujiyama provided vital and consistent young talent last season on her way to an All-SCIAC selection and set the Occidental single-season record for field blocks (18).
In 2010, these four players led the Tigers to a second-place SCIAC finish and the Division III National Championship game against Cal Lutheran. Unfortunately, the Tigers fell short of earning the title. However, with these four starters back in the lineup again this season, in addition to hard work and rising talent, the Tigers are expected to be tough competitors deep into the playoffs. “It was heart-breaking to go out the way we did last year. However, we have a large and talented squad this year that I am confident will go far,” Fujiyama said.
Coach Larry Zubrin has been challenging the Tigers in practice and is preparing them diligently for SCIAC play. He recognizes the difficult schedule that lies ahead and the necessities of hard work and focus as the NCAA Tournament draws nearer. “Although we are proud of our number one ranking, we know that we have a lot of work to do in order to stay competitive against all the nationally-ranked teams in the SCIAC conference,” Zubrin said.
SCIAC play will be the most rigorous part of the Tigers’ schedule, and there are a few particular dates circled on their calendar. On April 20, they will go on the road to play currently-ranked number two Redlands and will then face number three Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at home just three days later on April 23. However, all of this excitement begins on April 2 when the Tigers travel to number four Pomona-Pitzer to commence SCIAC play and seek revenge for a tough double overtime loss in the SCIAC Championship last season. Game time is set for 11 a.m.
This article has been archived, for more requests please contact us via the support system.
