"We have a really strong defensive team," Pyka said. "We're not going to let teams run up the score. We want to show that Eastern water polo is good."

Pyka stressed, however, that Harvard would not go into the water polo equivalent of the four corners to keep the score respectable.

"We also need to increase our offensive moves," she said. "If we increase our shots, we'll increase our scoring. We've also been working on some new West Coast plays we'll see, and the other defensive schemes we'll see."

But whatever should happen, this will be a great learning experience for Harvard.

"We're hoping to build on this and be a force to be reckoned with in the future," Pyka said. "We're hoping to learn a lot from the experience, and do the best we can, and hope for the best. We'll be able to compete."

Harvard has a full cast leading it into the tournament. Much of the scoring is done by sophomore Missy Ford, a first team all-East selection, and junior Ana Dujmovic, likewise a first team all-East pick.

Co-captains Pyka and Christine McElroy provide leadership and production. And Coach Maureen Travers deserves a lot of credit for bringing stability and excellence to the program.

UC San Diego and UC Davis, this year's tentative favorite, are two of the more formidable teams in the tournament, and both should be tough to beat.