Coach unfazed by water polo setback

Ken Lindgren is very optimistic about a successful Cal State Long Beach water polo season, despite the team’s having won only one of four matches at the season-opening Southern California tournament this weekend.

As 49er head coach, Lindgren keeps his spirits up, even though his team’s 9-8 win over UC Santa Barbara was offset by a trio of losses in Corona del Mar.

Lindgren expects his team to peak as the year progresses. The coach realizes that although the 49ers are talented, the players are very young, with no one having more than a year’s experience.

"In the preseason poll, we were ranked eighth in the nation," Lindgren said. "As the season goes on, we will get better."

Assisted by Kyle Kopp, a member of the 1996 Olympic team, the 49ers practice at the campus pool every afternoon from 2 to 5 p.m.

The first home game will be played at Belmont Plaza Pool on Oct. 4 against UC Berkeley.