The loss column paints a depressing picture for the UC Santa Barbara men's water polo team.

The No. 9 Gauchos are floundering at the bottom of the MPSF, having gone winless thus far in conference play. The team has dropped four of its last five games, including losses to top-ranked USC and No. 3 Stanford.

And with second-ranked Cal (16-4, 3-1 in the MPSF) visiting Campus Pool tomorrow at 12 p.m., things don't look to get any easier.

"It's pretty good parity this year (between the top four teams)," UCSB coach Wolf Wigo said. "I wouldn't really put one of them ahead of the other one. Any given day, whoever's playing better would be the more dangerous team."

Despite their losses, the Gauchos (10-10, 0-3) remain optimistic heading into the match-up against the Bears, who have won eight of their last nine games and rank third in the conference, citing the potential they displayed during smaller pockets in games against similar competition.

"Our team doesn't really feel like we're in a funk," Wigo said. "I think our team attitude is pretty positive, and we've come close against a couple of top teams."

One of those near misses came when they hosted the Trojans last Thursday, when UCSB kept the score close through all four quarters of the 6-4 loss. The game was particularly encouraging for the Gauchos, given that they had already been blown out by double digits twice against USC earlier this fall.

"They've been a little up-and-down this season for whatever reason, but I think talent-wise they're right up there with the top teams," Cal coach Kirk Everist said. "It's definitely a game that we're going to have to be ready to play."

That talent appears to be top-heavy. The Bears' main concern will be All-American Milos Golic, who is coming off a sophomore season during which he put away 82 goals to lead the conference in goals per game.

"He's just a really good shooter and I don't know that you can ever really completely take him out of it," Everist said. "He's a hell of a scorer and he'll find ways to get the ball in the cage. Not too many people have stopped him."

But while the prolific Serbian currently ranks behind only the Cardinal's Drac Wigo in scoring, Cal's defensive plans appear stunningly simple.

"Put Spencer Warden on him," junior Brian Dudley said. "He might be the second-best goal scorer in the conference, but we have the best defender in the conference and that's Spencer Warden."

Playing at home could also add a little luck to UCSB's chances against the Bears, who will have to travel down to face No. 8 Long Beach State (8-9, 1-4) the following day.

Tags: CAL MEN'S WATER POLO, KIRK EVERIST