San José State women’s water polo team faced a tough challenge against defending 2024 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champions, UCLA on Saturday at the Spartan Recreation and Aquatic Center.
The No. 18 Spartans (11-8) held their own against the No. 3 Bruins (16-3) in a competitive first half, but the defensive pressure proved difficult resulting in SJSU’s defeat 19-6.
Sophomores Rose Jensen and Jennine Osorio found early offensive success scoring two goals to lead the Spartan’s offense.
Jensen set the tone for the Spartans by scoring the first goal of the match on a 6-on-5 opportunity in the first quarter.
“It felt really good, honestly,” Jensen said. “I think our momentum in the first and second quarter were really strong, especially scoring the first goal. I think it was just a really fun experience because they won the national championship last year.”
The Spartan’s quick goals and strategies of maintaining tight defensive pressure kept the Bruins from establishing their usual offensive rhythm.
Jensen emphasized the team’s preparation leading up to the matchup, highlighting their focus on developing technique adjustments.
“We watched film on them (UCLA) and learned their tendencies on defense and offense. We’d been training all week for that, and I think it really paid off in the first half,” Jensen said. “We just struggled to stay with them on their counters in the second half.”
Jensen struck again early in the second quarter, putting the Spartans ahead 3-2 with just 18 seconds in on a pass from senior two-meter-defense Renee Fleming.
However, the Bruins' relentless counterattack through the rest of the second quarter helped them build a 7-4 lead by the end of halftime.
Despite this, the Spartans stayed competitive with key defensive plays from goalkeeper Grace Smith, who made a total of six saves and five field blocks.
SJSU head coach Beth Harberts praised the team’s defensive execution, especially in the first half.
“I think for the most part, we had a lot of good steals and a lot of good field blocks, especially in that first half of the game,” Harberts said. “I was really proud of our energy in terms of knocking down and covering water.”
Even with a strong first half, the Bruins took control in the third quarter, with the Spartan's only goal in the quarter coming from sophomore utility player Isabella Adams in the final seconds.
SJSU struggled against the Bruins fast breaks and quick passes as they stretched their lead further, making a comeback difficult.
However, the Spartans stayed resilient, as Osorio managed to score in the last few minutes of the match, with an assist from freshman driver Nynke Willemsen.
Reflecting on the game, Osorio shared her thoughts on facing previous NCAA champions and the team’s strategies.
“UCLA is a tough team, they’re really good competitors,” Osorio said. “We did a lot of scouting for them, so we knew that they were gonna do picks and drives so we altered our defense and I think that showed in the first half.”
Following the loss, the Spartans are now shifting their focus to their next matchup against Harvard, which will also be their senior day.
“I’m looking forward to play Harvard honestly,” Osorio said. “It’s our last home game and it’s our senior night, so I really want to come out and hopefully beat them. I think that would be a good time to show who San José is.”
Harberts also acknowledged the importance of the upcoming game, recognizing its significance for the seniors and the program as a whole.
“It’s a special time for us to be able to honor our seniors, having that last home game I think is a very culminating experience,” Harberts said.
SJSU returns home for its final regular season game to face Harvard at 1 p.m. on March 21 at the SRAC.
“I think Harvard’s gonna be a good adversary for us as we go into that… I think this is kind of one of those special opportunities for us to have fans here for that last home game,” Harberts said.
