Four members of the UCSD women’s water polo team were recognized for their efforts in the 2004 season by being named Western Water Polo Association All-Conference selections, which were announced following the team’s 7-3 loss to Loyola Marymount in the championship game on April 25.
Senior 2-meter defender Meris Bantilan-Smith and senior goaltender Stephanie Lombardo were named to the 2004 WWPA first team after playing central roles in UCSD’s drive to the championship game for the third consecutive year. Junior drivers Jessica Wong and Courtney Clevenger were awarded honorable mentions. Wong led the Tritons in the two-day championship tournament with six goals, followed by Bantilan-Smith’s four and three from Clevenger.
“Meris did everything for us this year and Stephanie was probably the best goalie in conference this season,” said UCSD head coach Larry Sanders. “Jessica contributed offensively and she had more experience on defense, but Courtney was active on the counterattack.”
UCSD’s four selections were second highest, after Loyola Marymount’s five. UCSD, LMU and UC Davis players filled all seven first-team spots. LMU’s Devon Courtney was named 2004 Player of the Year while her coach, John Loughran, won 2004 Head Coach of the Year honors.
“[In selecting players], coaches will look at who was a threat to their team … they consider the people that you have to shut down each game,” Sanders said.
Ten WWPA head coaches voted on the weekend of the championships. Each manager nominated five players for consideration, and the selections were tallied at the end of the final. The second team and honorable mention lists were well rounded with selections from eight teams, but in striving for a balanced representation, Sanders thought coaches may have overlooked the abilities of Wong and Clevenger.
“Jessica and Courtney got honorable mention, but I think they were definitely better players than some of those on the second team,” Sanders said.
The award ceremony was a bittersweet ending for the Tritons, who received their individual honors immediately after their 7-3 championship loss. LMU raced to a 4-0 lead by halftime, and though the Tritons cut the lead with goals from Bantilan-Smith, Wong and Clevenger, they got no closer. It was the third consecutive runner-up finish for the Tritons after falling 8-4 and 8-6 to LMU in the 2002 and 2003 championships, respectively. The Tritons finished 2004 with a 16-20 record.
“There was a range of emotions, frustration,” Sanders said. “[The championship was] what they had always fought for.”
The Tritons can earn more recognition when the NCAA Division II awards are released later this month. UCSD competes at the Division I level but is classified as a Division II team, along with other non-scholarship and small schools, such as some California State University system schools. Should Bantilan-Smith and Lombardo receive first-team nods, then one could be the third consecutive UCSD player to capture Division II Player of the Year. Former Tritons Emma Kudritzki and Dana Tucker captured that honor in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Sanders said that he wouldn’t make any predictions.
“We’ll see when it happens,” Sanders said.
In 2004, Bantilan-Smith was UCSD’s linchpin, leading the team with 51 goals and 87 steals. Clevenger, a junior transfer from Sierra College, made an impact almost immediately upon arrival, racking up 30 assists and 27 goals. Wong accumulated 26 goals of her own and was second on the team with 56 steals. Lombardo recovered from a torn labrum to return as one of the WWPA’s top goalies, racking up 238 saves with a 5.59 goals-per-game average.
