Girls’ water polo (4-3) lost 12-7 at its home match on Dec. 5 against Long Beach Polytechnic High. The Bulldogs’ next games will be at the Corona Christmas Invitational on Dec. 20.
The game kicked off in a thrilling deadlock, with both the Bulldogs and Jackrabbits scoring a goal within minutes. Though the Jackrabbits secured the first goal, the game quickly shifted with utility player and senior Serena Wang launching the ball into the net, leaving no opportunity for a block and ending the first quarter with a 1-1 tie.
“Last season, we got a ton of shots off but weren’t quite getting them in the goal,” head coach Veronica Heidke said. “This year, we’ve completely changed that. The team is way better at play[s]. We’ve been able to really level up in that aspect.”
With the Bulldogs’ defense weakening, the Jackrabbits unleashed a series of attacks, putting them 2 points ahead. Teamwork is crucial as they overcome game moments when they fall behind, according to utility player and junior Lexi Minasyan.
“I don’t believe it went absolutely horrible,” Minasyan said. “A key play in this game that I saw and enjoyed was when I called for help, my teammates immediately went to go swim in between the [Jackrabbits] and made sure no one had a wide open pass.”
With just five minutes remaining in the second quarter, utility player and freshman Melody Hughes swiftly slid the ball past the Jackrabbit goalie, making the game even. However, the Jackrabbits launched an attack that ended the first half 3-2.
“This year’s batch of freshmen meshed really easily with the team right away,” Heidke said. “It helps that a lot of the older girls have already played with them in club water polo. It’s been great seeing the older girls adopting the younger girls and showing them the ropes of how things work on the team.”
In the third quarter, the Bulldogs made a few one-sided calls and lost focus of their goals, according to Minaysan. Thus, the Jackrabbits built a substantial lead and held onto it until the end of the game, ending in a 12-7 loss for the Bulldogs.
Though the game was a tough loss, the Bulldogs remain hopeful and aim to build on their strong team chemistry to place in the top four for an automatic bid to CIF — a milestone they have never achieved before, according to Heidke. In the meantime, each game serves as an opportunity to fine-tune their skills in preparation for league competition.
“I’m really proud of our team because we’ve come a long way,” Wang said. “Freshman year, we didn’t have many people who knew how to play water polo, but now we have a lot of people who are coming in with experience, dedication and commitment. It’s really made our team cohesive and we work really well together.”
