Top teams await on West Coast road trip

During spring break the Hoosier water polo team will embark on a seven game road trip traveling to six different cities in California and one in Arizona. The stretch includes games against three top ten opponents and one top 20 opponent. \nIU will start the road trip by playing No. 10 University of California-San Diego. The Hoosiers are winless in two games against the Tritons in their history. \nIU then has Saturday off before playing Redlands on Sunday, a squad the Hoosiers are 3-0 against. The Hoosiers will participate in the California State-San Bernandino Coyote Classic on Sunday. There, the Hoosiers will square off with Laverne and Cal State-San Bernandino. IU has never played either team. The following day, the Hoosiers will face No. 9 San Diego State and No.19 Arizona State for the first time. \nAfter a day off, the Hoosiers will end their road stretch with a game against No. 6 Loyola Marymount. IU is winless against the Lions in their three previous games. \nAlthough the seven game road stretch sounds strenuous to most teams, the Hoosiers are used to life away from home. \n"We have been doing this for a long time so we are going to go out and take advantage of so many games," coach Barry King said. "Getting ready for games and facing the challenges these teams present will provide valuable experience for our team."\nThe trip is long but the players said they are excited about the environment in which they are playing. \n"The road trip is longer than what we have done so far but there is good spacing in between the games," freshman Emily Schmitt said. "I am also very excited to be in California". \nSophomore Krista Peterson said the road trip will be tough because the traveling will be extended but she is grateful to be playing on the West Coast. \n"California is a great environment to play water polo," she said.\nAlthough Peterson said she is happy to be in California, she also said she has revenge on her mind. "We play three teams ranked ahead of us and some teams that beat us last year," Peterson said. "This year we want to beat them."\nThe Hoosiers have an opportunity to prove that they can compete with some of the elite competition on the West Coast. \n"There are important games with teams ranked ahead of us, games that are very winnable," King said. "With a good solid effort we can establish ourselves as a national competitor." \nAfter completing their seven game road trip, the Hoosiers will hit the road again. From March 29-30 IU will play in its second Collegiate Water Polo Association Weekend at Penn State Behrend in Washington, Pa.