At a recent practice, I asked coach Rich Corso how the health of his No. 5 women’s water polo team was holding out this season. I have heard so much about basketball players with torn ACLs and pitchers with injured shoulders, but more than halfway through the Bears’ water polo season I had not heard a thing about injuries. And frankly, if you have ever been to a water polo game, this should surprise you.

But Corso replied that the team has suffered no serious injuries, aside from Grace Reynolds’ broken finger and Camille Hewko’s stitches at the beginning of the season.

“Knock on wood, but we’re pretty good right now. And I think if you can get through midterms and you’re pretty healthy, there’s light at the end of the tunnel,” Corso said. “And two, if you’re sore and you’re tired right now, you gotta play through that, you’ve got to play through the injury. That’s one of the great things about water polo. You learn how to play tired, sick, and sometimes injured.”

It became especially clear to me last weekend when Cal played No. 14 Cal State Northridge how tough you really have to be if you are a water polo player.

Hewko had to exit the game only thirty seconds into the first quarter with what appeared to be a cut lip. She returned after a quick treatment on the deck, but in the fourth quarter she was asked to leave the game again – the zipper had been ripped off her swimsuit. She returned wearing a brand new suit. Hewko handled the interruptions with grace, and calmly got back to business in the pool.

Corso and Matadors coach Molly Barnes both expected the game to be physical, but this was beyond what I had seen this season.