The Bowdoin Orient

EILEEN PALMER, THE BOWDOIN ORIENT

KING OF THE POOL: Sophomore Colin Kennedy defends an opponent from the Coast Guard Academy. This weekend, the water polo team will host the Division III National Championship at Bowdoin. The team’s first game will be against Washington University in St. Louis, a team that Bowdoin has not yet faced this season.

Despite a tough loss to Coast Guard in the conference tournament, the water polo team is ready to move forward in this weekend's National Club tournament hosted by the Bears.

The tournament, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday at Leroy Greason pool, represents the highest level of possible play for the water polo team and also presents an exciting opportunity for the polo team to go out on a high note.

Teams participating in this tournament qualified by being the highest team within their conference.

Other qualifiers include NYU, Grinnell, Monmouth, Tufts, Middlebury and Washington University in St. Louis, the opponent that the Polar Bears will face in the first round.

"This is a great opportunity," added first year Tanner Horst. "It is the first time that, as a team, we are all healthy" he acknowledged.

Indeed, the water polo team has been disadvantaged considerably by various health issues throughout the season, ranging from nerve issues to hand fractures. Consequentially, the team has always had at least one of its starters sidelined.

But this weekend all of the pieces seem to be falling into place for the team and there is an undeniable air of excitement.

"Its time to show them who we really are," said first year Basyl Stuyvesant.

Co-Captain Simon Ou '10 spoke briefly of the weekend. Ou told the Orient, "it has been a very long road. This is the first time during my stay at Bowdoin that we've been able to play at the national level."

"We have always been a better team as the season goes on, and I think with these extra three weeks we've had since conferences, we've tightened up," he said. "We look crisp, we look strong, and we look ready to take on whomever."

Bowdoin will take on Washington University at Greason Pool at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.

• IN SPORTS THIS WEEK...
• Football comes back against Colby to claim share of CBB Title
• Athletes of the Season: Ellery Gould ’12 and Pat Noone ’12
• Athletic department makes decision to transition many teams to Nike uniforms
• Men’s XC comes in seventh among 48 teams at New England Tournament
• Women’s XC captures ninth at championship
• Athlete of the Week: Tyler Tennant ’10
• Column Like I See 'Em: Pomposity Killed the Pats