Camden Hyde
Attacker Bethany Metcalfe takes 5-meter-shot.
California Lutheran University Regals water polo kicked off the Tina Finali Tournament in an exhibition game against the Toronto Golden Jets where the team came up short with a final score of 13-7.
The game started slow as the Regals only found the back of the net once in the first period, but eventually gained traction going up 3-2 midway through the second period. The Golden Jets then scored four unanswered goals to lead 6-3 at halftime.
“For lack of a better word, I think we were just sluggish this morning,” Head Coach Tim Settem said.
Sophomore utility player Claire Daland and junior utility player Jacqueline Brandon both said the team played well defensively at times but struggled to get much going offensively.
“I was able to get quite a few steals and make sure my defense was on point,” Daland said. “I can drive more and attack more and not be so standoffish.”
Daland’s four steals were a season-high but transition defense proved to be a challenge for the Regals as the Golden Jets converted on many counterattacks.
“Making sure we’re not getting beat on that counter, I think, is something we’ve worked on but it kind of just slipped through our fingers this first game,” Brandon said.
Brandon said cohesiveness has been something the Regals talk about before jumping into the pool each time the team faces an opponent.
“You see it a lot when we’re doing well, is we’re playing cohesively and playing together. When we kind of fall apart, we’re playing individually,” Brandon said.
Though the Regals have posted seven losses on the season, five of those games being against top-25 nationally ranked opponents, Settem believes the tough schedule prepares the team for conference play down the road.
“Playing the elite teams, playing the best competition possible, and learning from the good, the bad, and the ugly, … it’s big for us to be able to do that, so when we play our conference games, we’re going to be more confident,” Settem said.
Daland said the team enjoys the challenge of competing, regardless of who enters the water.
“It helps us get a lot of experience, … being able to play against a higher level and then preparing us for what we’re going to be facing,” Daland said.
The Regals have faced the likes of Arizona State University, California Baptist University, San Diego State University, and others already this year.
“We’re pushing ourselves really hard right now, obviously with our competition, playing these DI schools,” Brandon said.
Daland and Brandon both said that their goals for the season as individuals and for the team were reaching for the top.
“Our main goal is to win a conference title and then play in the national championship and win it. For us to achieve that we have to be consistent, we can’t be complacent. Unfortunately, we saw complacency today,” Settem said.
Settem said the complacency the team had against the Golden Jets was more mental than anything else.
“First and foremost, we plan on winning a natty,” Brandon said. “Our coach talks about playing it game by game. The game we’re playing is the most important game we’re going to play.”
Settem said though the loss to the Golden Jets isn’t one they hoped for, the team is eager to continue preparing for what lies ahead, taking each game day by day.
“We were flat this morning. Hopefully, we get a rest, get a mental check, and come back this afternoon with a little more vigor,” Settem said.
The Regals did indeed bounce back in the afternoon with a 20-7 win against the Whittier Poets. The following day, the Regals went 1-1 with a 21-8 win over the University of California, Merced and a 10-9 loss to Azusa Pacific University. The Regals (3-7) are set to play at home again on Wednesday, Feb. 26 against Mount St. Mary’s University at 4 p.m.