2002 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championships
May 10, 2002 | Women's Water Polo
May 10, 2002
Michigan Coach Amber Drury-Pinto
"We're very excited to be here. Our program is in on a lot of firsts as far as women's water polo is concerned. We're the first Midwest team to make it to NCAAs, we're the first program with an all-female staff and we're also the youngest program to make it this far.
"We really need to play a solid game to beat Stanford. Defense will be the key. We have the offensive firepower, but we need to keep their goals down.
(On how her team will adjust to playing outdoors):
"We like coming out to Los Angeles and seeing the sunshine. We usually play indoors. However, this is not foreign territory for us. A lot of our girls are from California and we've also been out here for spring break. We've had two very good workouts since we've been here and I think the weather will not have an adverse effect on us at all."
Michigan 2-Meter Player Julie Nisbet
"We're really excited to be here, to get a little sun and to have a good time. We're going to have to play solid defense to have a chance. Stanford is a very good team. If we get the job done defensively, that will help to get our offense going."
Stanford Coach John Tanner
"We've had the best defense in the nation statistically this season, which is critical to winning any championship. That's where it all starts.
"We're excited to play Michigan. We went back East for a tournament last year and played them. Michigan is a young program, but they have rapidly improved and they are bringing in a lot of elite players. So we're looking forward to the challenge. We hope to get past Michigan and, if UCLA gets by Loyola Marymount, we look forward to playing the Bruins in the final again."
"We are also excited about how the venue looks down here at USC. There is a terrific stadium atmosphere. I'm glad we played our conference tournament here, but in the end, the pool is the same no matter where you play."
Stanford Driver Brenda Villa
(On playing in the NCAA finals at USC, so close to where she grew up in Commerce, Calif.):
"It feels like I'm home. Growing up, I used to come scrimmage at USC, so I am really familiar with it here.
(On what Stanford needs to do to win):
"We need to be focused and ready. We need to focus on defense and our transition game. We're taking this tournament one game at a time. We are staying in the present and just concentrating on playing Stanford water polo. That's what will get us to our final goal."
Loyola Marymount Coach John Loughran:
(On returning to the semifinals of the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year):
"The team has improved each year here and the more we match up with top teams like UCLA, we'll continue to close the gap."
(On the difference from this year's squad and last year's):
"Experience is the biggest difference this year. We have five seniors on this year's squad. In fact, they're all participating in graduation tomorrow before the game. We have some key juniors, too, who have gained a lot of experience this year. This team has grown a lot and all of our key contributors have returned."
(On the keys to beating UCLA):
"Our goal is to stop their counterattack, slow the game down to our speed and force them into a halfcourt game. We can't let them use their size, which is a big advantage for them. They have a lot of big, talented people, some of whom have played in the Olympics. We need the best game we can possibly have."
Loyola Marymount Goalie Devon Courtney:
"We definitely have something to prove. Don't expect the same thing from us this year.
"The team chemistry on this year's team is unbelievable. The whole year, we've been building on that. If we all play together like that, it's going to be awesome."
(On graduating in the morning and playing in the afternoon):
"It makes for an exciting weekend. It makes you feel like it's the end of your life almost. A lot is culminating this weekend. But it will definitely be exciting."
UCLA Coach Adam Krikorian:
"The team has played extremely well the past month, month-and-a-half and we're excited. The most difficult thing about the season is getting here. I think it's more difficult to get here than to win it. All you have to do is win two games now."
(On whether UCLA's past success provides an edge this year):
"Each year is a challenge in its own right. We don't look in the past. We go forward and work to get better, especially with the way the sport is evolving. It's newer and better every year and more competitive every year. There's much more parity now.
"This is the third year we've faced LMU in the semis. They have a great team and a great defense, which will pose problems for our offense. It's a credit to their coach, John Loughran, and his players that they've established such a strong program."
UCLA Center Defender Robin Beauregard:
"Everyone is pretty excited. We've been building up to this all season. Everyone is pretty loose and ready to go. We want to come out and play hard defense. We need to play our game, which is defense.
(On UCLA's five previous national titles):
"You can't base what you've done with what you will do. You still have to go out and prove you're the best. It motivates you because you can't rely on the past. You have to work hard to maintain that level of success."
2002 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship Schedule
May 11
3:30 p.m. -- No. 1 seed Stanford (21-2) vs. No. 4 Michigan (25-11)
5 p.m. No. 2 UCLA (21-3) vs. No. 3 Loyola Marymount (20-7)
May 12
3:30 p.m. Consolation game
5 p.m. Championship game
Stanford, UCLA, Loyola Marymount And Michigan Meet In 2002 NCAA Women's Water Polo At USC
LOS ANGELES- The No. 1-seeded Stanford women's water polo team (21-2) will face No. 4 Michigan (25-11) at 3:30 p.m. this Saturday (May 11), followed by the No. 2 UCLA (21-3) versus No. 3 Loyola Marymount (20-7) contest at 5 p.m., in the 2002 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship hosted by USC at the McDonald's Swim Stadium.
On Sunday (May 12), the consolation game starts at 3:30 p.m., with the championship match at 5 p.m.
Tickets, available at the gate, are $25 for a poolside reserved two-day pass and $20 for a general admission two-day pass (students and seniors two-day passes cost $12 for reserved and $10 for general admission). Single day passes will be sold at the gate only on the day of the game for $15 reserved ($8 students/seniors) and $12 general admission ($6 students/seniors).
Last year, in the inaugural NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship, UCLA beat host Stanford, 5-4, for the crown.
