The Long Beach State men’s water polo team will dive back into action Saturday morning, when it opens its season with a pair of games at the UC Irvine Tournament.
LBSU will look to repeat the early success of last season when the team won its first seven matches and nine of its first ten. The Beach will face the University of Redlands at 10:15 a.m. and Chapman University at 12:30 p.m. this Saturday.
The 49ers are chomping at the bit to gain a berth in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Tournament, a goal that has evaded the Beach by the slimmest of margins the last few seasons. Pacific defeated the 49ers on the final day of the season last year to earn the eighth and final playoff spot.
Although the 49ers’ struggles have been well-documented the last few years, a strong recruiting class has given rise to a new wave of optimism and excitement surrounding the team. Junior college recruit Balint Meszaros made an early impression on his coach and has secured the starting job protecting the cage.
“He has great legs, and he gets to the corners,” head coach Gavin Arroyo said. “He’s not the thickest goalie, but he makes up for it with great athleticism.”
Meszaros gives the 49ers an imposing presence in the net. The 6’4″ transfer from West Valley College recorded 162 saves in 25 games last season.
Other high-profile newcomers include Nolan McConnell, Dimitrios Lappas and Spencer White.
McConnell, brother of 49er junior Nathan McConnell, joins LBSU following a stellar high school career. The younger McConnell brother won back-to-back CIF Division III Player of the Year honors and was honored as an All-American his senior season.
Lappas arrives from Greece as a five-time champion of the Greece Junior League with his Panionios Club Team. Arroyo sees him as true utility player and the initial plan is to have Lampas be perimeter shooter on offense.
White comes over as an MBA student from UC Berkeley (Cal). The graduate student played parts of two seasons with the Golden Bears, who run a perennial top-5 program. White is in the finishing stages of his recovery from shoulder surgery and hopes to be available to assist the 49ers in their efforts this weekend.
The biggest name to join the 49ers, however, was a major surprise. Junior Nick Rascon left The Beach at the end of last year to play for Cal but transferred back for unknown reasons. His return to the team was a gift wrapped in ribbon for the coaching staff, as he scored 32 goals in 21 games for the 49ers last season. Rascon’s eligibility is in question this season, but he hopes to contribute in the near future.
The 49ers’ biggest loss from 2011 was Aleksandar Petrovic, who led the ‘Niners in goals last year. In his absence, 30-goal-scorers Milos Vrzic, Dan Matulis and Brian Schiefer are expected to carry the load offensively. Schiefer has been named the captain of the team.
If LBSU is to capture an MPSF Tournament berth this season, it will have to perform well during a crucial three-game homestand against Pacific, Pepperdine and UCI.
“November is certainly an important stretch for us,” Arroyo said.
The team knows that those are all winnable games and that success in them is vital to getting to the playoffs. The Beach plays just six home games this year.
“We’re fine playing on the road, but we have to go into those games with a good mindset,” Matulis said.
White said he likes the talent his coach has brought in.
“With the group of guys Gavin has assembled, making the MPSF Tournament should be very doable,” he said.
The 49ers have gone three straight seasons without advancing to the MPSF Tournament. They will look to reverse that trend this year.
A positive vibe has taken over the 49ers’ practice sessions, and the players believe that they have a team that is capable of competing in and winning the tough matches. Following a great preseason, Arroyo has gone so far to say that the players feel like they have something to prove. This season is a war of attrition, and the UCI Tournament sets the stage for the 49ers’ battle in the pool. Let the battle begin.