No. 6 IU rides momentum to West Coast

The IU water polo team has posted a 4-3 record so far this season, with losses to the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the nation. \nCompetition will be tough again this weekend as 19 of the top 20 teams in the nation await the Hoosiers in Santa Barbara, Calif., at the Gaucho Invitational. Still, the No. 6 Hoosiers are ready. \n"I think we have a little momentum (from the Stanford Invitational)," said IU coach Barry King. "(This weekend) will be a matter of getting in there and doing what we have to do. The wins and losses will take care of themselves."\nThe Hoosiers' first game against unranked Cal State-San Bernardino will be only the third time IU has played a team with a losing record this season. However, the team will need to stay focused on the task at hand to prevent an upset, King said.\n"Our biggest obstacle will be making sure we don't look past that game," he said. "I imagine they will be a pretty good swimming team, but if we play our game we should win."\nThe second game against No. 11 San Jose State should offer more of a challenge. The Spartans have beaten the Hoosiers in four out of their previous five meetings, but this time the Hoosiers enter having already seen San Jose State play at the Stanford Invitational.\n"Having seen them play a couple of times, we will be ready for them," King said. "They are going to be physical. We will need to get some quick open looks and pick up the tempo of the game to turn it to our advantage." \nShould IU win both games, it would set up for a potential rematch against No. 3 Stanford in the second round of the invitational. The Hoosiers lost to the Cardinals Feb. 13 at the Stanford Invitational. Before the Stanford game, IU had already played the No. 2, No. 6 and No. 7-ranked teams in the course of 24 hours. \n"We were coming off of three phenomenal games and just ran out of gas by the time we got to them," King said. "We got some good fitness work this week and will be better prepared. We definitely learned some lessons from the last game that will make us more ready for them this time."\nAfter each of the past two tournaments, an IU Hoosier was named Collegiate Water Polo Association Player of the Week. The most recent recipient is senior goalie Jessica Goldner, who leads the country in saves with 68, 11.3 per game. After this weekend, the Hoosiers hope to see a third player receive the award.\n"I expect to see some (other players) step up this weekend as teams adjust," King said. "I have been very pleased with the balance we have had so far."\nSenior attacker Kandace Waldthaler, the team's leading scorer with nine goals, won the first Player of the Week Award and freshman center Carolyn Conway hopes to be the next. Conway is second on the team with eight goals.\n"I have only been playing with these girls for a short time and I feel pretty comfortable with them right now," Conway said. "I think we have meshed a lot over the last few weeks." \nSenior attacker Krista Peterson feels this team plays better than any for which she has played throughout her four years at IU. The fact that the Hoosiers currently hold highest ranking in the program's history backs up that feeling.\n"I think we're really clicking so far," Peterson said. "We work a lot better as a team, instead of just relying on one person. I feel like we can keep going with this and be even better. There is no reason to stop now."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Steve \nBrennan at sgbrenna@indiana.edu.