California Blues

When a team starts a season 2-7, there is normally reason to worry. The IU water polo team has begun its 2011 season with such a record, going 1-3 on each weekend of its young season.

However, IU’s strength of schedule is strong. After nine games, IU has played five of the top six teams in the nation.

The Hoosiers began the weekend with a 15-13 overtime victory against the No. 16 UC Davis Aggies.

“The win at UC Davis was a quality victory for us to start the trip,” IU coach Barry King said.

IU went on to the Stanford Invite, where it took on the No. 2 USC Trojans Saturday. IU fell 9-1, with senior utility player Lauren Wyckoff tallying the Hoosiers’ lone score. Later that day, IU played No. 5 Hawai’i and hung tough with the Warriors during the first half, trailing 4-3. Hawai’i pulled away in the second half though, winning 8-3.

Sunday morning, IU dropped a pair of games, falling to No. 4 UCLA 9-4 and No. 9 San Jose State 10-6.

“There were moments during the Stanford Invite where we showed our capabilities against some of the best teams in the nation,” King said. “But we can’t have lapses against teams like that and hope to win.”