George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
La Salle
Women's Water Polo Opens Season in Philly
1/30/2020 12:08:00 PM | Women's Water Polo
Colonials mix old and new in 2020
GW women's water polo kicks off the new season this weekend with four games over two days in Philadelphia.
The Colonials will mix old and new in 2020: They return five of their top six scorers, including All-CWPA First Team pick Alana Ponce, while adding three first-years and a pair of transfers for their third campaign under head coach Barry King.
The veteran coach has challenged the group with perhaps the most rigorous preseason training regimen of his tenure in Foggy Bottom. So far, he's been pleased with the response.
“It's starting to come together,” King said. “Right now, it’s a matter of getting a good handle on what people can do, what they’re comfortable with and figuring out how they can help each other get better throughout the season.”
The wait ? is almost over!
— GW Water Polo (@GW_WaterPolo) January 30, 2020
Let’s do this! ??#RaiseHigh pic.twitter.com/B9GF0heitF
The Colonials will get their first measuring stick Saturday when they face off against La Salle and Villanova in a split doubleheader. They'll wrap the weekend by facing Salem and St. Francis Brooklyn on Sunday at La Salle.
It's the first step in what's sure to be a season-long growth process for a group looking to improve its positioning in the competitive Collegiate Water Polo Association.
“I’m excited to start and see where we’re at,” senior Allison DeCicco said. “Hopefully, we can keep building up through April. Like Barry always says, we want to be playing our best in April. I’m excited to be able to put the pieces together and see how we all play together."
POWERED BY PONCE: Ponce has proven her scoring prowess, totaling 113 goals over her first two collegiate seasons.
Impressively, Ponce has found a way to be productive despite heavy attention from opposing defenses. With 48 goals and 16 assists in 2019, the Gig Harbor, Wash., native factored in on 37 percent of GW's scoring for the season.
Ponce was rewarded for that excellence by being named the program's first All-Conference First Team selection since 2013. She hopes to use the lessons she's learned staring down multiple defenders to be more efficient in her junior season.
“I wasn’t ready for it," Ponce said. "I didn’t know I was going to have three people guarding me at once. I didn’t know how to work with that. I think this year I have a lot more experience coming into it to be able to make things work.”
EXPERIENCE IN ACTION: Juliette Belanger joined the Colonials just before the season began last January and made an immediate impact, piling up 40 goals to rank second on the squad. The Ottawa, Canada, native also stoked the offense as a first-year by leading the Buff and Blue with 27 ejections drawn.
Kira Bruno was fourth on the team in points a year ago with 14 goals and nine assists, while DeCicco and Katherine Atherton both set career highs with their nine goals. Hannah Hathaway, Megan Tomasi and Hayden Carlson are the other veterans back for the Buff and Blue.
King said that group's chemistry is a major asset moving forward.
"That's where the experience is so important," King said. "Now they have a better understanding of how they can contribute to Alana putting up some stats but also where the focus on Alana by defenses is going to open things up for them and where they need to be willing to take some chances."
WELCOME TO FOGGY BOTTOM: The five new additions figure to have ample opportunity to contribute.
A native of Australia, Mackenzie Matheny takes over in net. The first-year arrived on campus this semester with a wealth of experience playing at the highest levels of the sport in her home country, and she's impressed with her efforts in practice so far.
“I think you’re going to see the greatest improvement from her as she gets used to the rhythm and the speed of NCAA water polo,” King said. “It’s the best women’s league in the world, and so the consistency of good athletes coming at her is probably a little bit new for her. When she gets a really good handle on the rhythm of things, I think she’s going to be terrific for us.”
Transfers Marina Daroca Bazán and Amanda Reeder started their collegiate careers on the West Coast.
A graduate student, Daroca Bazán scored 48 goals over three seasons at Whittier College, helping the Poets' transformation into a contender in the SCIAC. Reeder didn't see action at Loyola Marymount, but the redshirt freshman benefited from a chance to develop her skills behind the scenes vs. collegiate competition.
First-years Mia Rosenblatt (San Carlos, Calif.) and Aliyah Santi (Agoura Hills, Calif.) also join the mix to add depth to the Buff and Blue's lineup.
COMING UP: GW's 23-game schedule includes non-conference tournaments at Bucknell and Princeton and a trip to California over spring break featuring six games in seven days.
The Colonials will play a CWPA home game vs. Princeton on Feb. 29 and then finish their conference schedule in April with weekends at Princeton and Brown. All seven teams will head to the CWPA Championship on April 24-26 at Michigan's Canham Natatorium.
As the new season begins, DeCicco is eager to savor every minute.
“It’s kind of surreal to be at my last year," DeCicco said. "I’m really excited to have some fun and do everything I can so that when I hang up my suit in April I’m happy with the way everything went.”
