Boys water polo (0-1) lost 11-9 at its home game against Redondo Union High on Sept. 3. The team will continue its season with a home game against Tesoro High on Sept. 16.
The Sea Hawks presented themselves as a challenge for the Bulldogs with a fast and powerful opening. In the first quarter, the Sea Hawks managed to score four consecutive goals, demonstrating to the Bulldogs the competition they were going up against.
“The biggest challenge was [Redondo’s] overall speed, size, and strength, but we played a really good game,” utility player and sophomore Johnathan Pham said.
A goal by utility player and sophomore Lachlan Nees started the fourth quarter in favor of the Bulldogs, closing the score gap. They kept the momentum throughout the end by focusing on strong offensive plays and adapting to difficult situations.
“Our team performance showed that we can adapt quickly, whether it’s switching from press defense to drop in or finding creative ways to generate offense,” utility player and junior Luke Philobbos said.
The Bulldogs outscored the Sea Hawks by 6-4 in the second half, but ultimately lost the game by 11-9. However, the Bulldogs have a lot to improve both inside and outside of the pool, as the team works towards its goal of reaching CIF. Discipline is a key aspect that the team needs to focus on to grow and advance itself further, according to head coach Kate Avery.
“When we were all on the same page, [the game] was really good,” Avery said. “The problem we were seeing was that we were only playing defense for 20 seconds.”
Though the team faced a tough loss, the game was a great learning experience for the Bulldogs to grow into better players in the future. The game also provided a bonding opportunity that built their team spirit, unity, and cooperation with one another, according to Philobbos.
“If someone misses a shot or gets excluded, the rest of us immediately lift them up with encouragement,” said Philobbos. “It’s about staying united because when one of us rises, the whole team rises with them.”