Nationally competitive Division I teams face a plethora of challenges along the course of a season, one being traveling. As it forges its journey to the NCAA title game, UCLA men’s water polo has parlayed foreign environments and opposing fans into an undefeated road record so far.

The Bruins (21-2, 5-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) won’t have to travel far Sunday when they head across town to take on their rivals – the Trojans (18-3, 3-1). At this pivotal juncture of the season, a win against No. 3 USC, a national contender, is vital to No. 1 UCLA’s championship campaign.

“It is always fun to play at ‘SC. It’s a fun environment, a big crowd. It’s a big rivalry, so it’s always a fun game to play,” said senior utility Cristiano Mirarchi. “Going on the road, we know it’s always going to be tougher … but it’s a quick adjustment.”

While road games typically present a unique set of challenges, such as adjusting to a new pool and a different energy from spectators, the Bruins have thrived on such adversity as of late, according to junior defender Anthony Daboub. In a tough turnaround at Berkeley from a two-game losing streak, UCLA defeated the Golden Bears by a five-goal margin on Oct. 18.

“We want it. We want it to be loud, we want it to be lively,” said coach Adam Wright. “That makes it fun. The reality is that doesn’t change our approach and how we play our game.”

By proving themselves away from home, the Bruins demonstrated their ability to win big when it matters and handle tense game-time situations. At USC, UCLA’s season record is on the line as well as its pride.

“Their fans are really good – they have some of the best fans. It’s really loud. It’s going to be packed, it’s going to be fun,” Daboub said. “We just have to fight through the way they play with picks and stuff. As long as we stick to our system and fight through (it), we’ll be fine.”

UCLA’s system – its plan of attack – has served the team well this season. The Bruins’ breakdown during the SoCal Tournament only reignited their dedication to their particular brand of play.

Heading into the second half of the season, UCLA is sticking to its game plan and executing against top-level opponents – both at home and on the road.