The ASU water polo team will face some of the best competition in the country this weekend as they travel to Irvine, Calif., for the second time this season to compete in the UC Irvine Invitational.
The No. 8 Sun Devils (4-3) will kick off the weekend against No. 9 Cal State Northridge (9-2) in their first matchup. The Matadors are the reigning Big West Champions.
“We are excited to play Northridge, they are ninth, we are eighth — it will be a nice challenge,” ASU coach Todd Clapper said. “We look at the first day as if we beat [Northridge]. We will most likely see Stanford in the quarterfinal. This is the time for us to stop talking about potential and show what we have. I am confident, and the team is right behind me, with that.”
The invitational consists of 16 teams divided into four brackets.
ASU is placed in bracket A along with No. 1 Stanford, No. 9 Cal State Northridge and UC San Diego. The Sun Devils will play two games Saturday and two on Sunday. After the first day, seeding will be based on each team’s record.
With seven games under its belt this season, ASU has made some minor adjustments to its game.
“We have added different options — more 5-6, 6-5, special teams stuff, and other variations to our defense,” Clapper said. “We want to adjust and change things up. A lot of time we spend on little things that keep us from being successful on attack or defense. Little things will make them better.”
Clapper and the Sun Devils will continue to push for improvement as the season presses on.
“The key for us is to make the most of the high percentage opportunities,” Clapper said. “We bar out or hit the goalie and it comes back to haunt us. We have been making progress. We have got to get better all the time.”
Facing elite competition in the UC Irvine Invitational will help indicate where the Sun Devils stand at this point in the season.
“Every game, you are making a case about whether or not you belong at the NCAA championships,” Clapper said. “Our thing is, we feel like with the group we have and work ethic, if we continue to improve, we can be and play like a top-four team in the country.”
Reach the reporter at gjdillar@asu.edu
