The Islander girls water polo team were 6-3 going into Thursday’s two matches against Clairemont and Schurr. However, these two back-to-back games would test the girls’ endurance and persistence in the face of larger, more powerful teams.
The Islanders’ first game of the day would be tightly contested. Clairemont would score one goal in the first period and two more in the second, putting the girls at 3-0 half time deficit. One important factor to take note about the Islanders is that they always come back fighting. Despite just having one substitute, the girls’ stamina was a force to be reckoned with.
Junior Megan Ledgerwood put the Islanders on the scoreboard with a penalty shot during the third period. She launched another goal into the back of the net with the help of a well-timed pass by junior goalie Harper Gilbert. The Islanders slowly crawled back into contention to end the third at 4-2.
Ledgerwood scored yet another goal during the fourth period, but the Chieftains also scored a goal of their own to go 5-3 with just minutes remaining.
Senior Sofia Goicoechea was in the right place at the right time when she received a pass from junior Grace Miller and proceeded to hurl one past the Chieftain goalie’s reach. With 22 seconds remaining, the Islanders were 5-4. However, the Chieftains maintained possession of the ball and the Islanders were unable to take any more shots.
With the heartbreaking loss, the Islanders were eager to best their next opponent: the Schurr Spartans, who had traveled all the way from Montebello, Los Angeles. The Spartans had multiple advantages over the Islanders. Firstly, their team was much larger, which allowed fresh and energized players to sub in and out throughout the game. Secondly, the Islanders had already battled ferociously in a previous game, so they were playing on depleted energy.
The first half didn’t bode too well for the Islanders as the Spartans would fire 8 goals into the net, and while the Islanders would pummel shots of their own, they would either bounce off the rim of the net or be deflected by the goalie.
After a pep talk by coach Tim Reed, the girls reset their mindset and entered the water with a new focus.
Ledgerwood once again scored the first Islander goal in the third period. Junior Kyla Granados also made a goal of her own, which elevated the Islander spirit.
Unfortunately, the girls’ efforts weren’t enough to catch up to the Spartans, and the Islanders would fall short with only 5 goals in total and the opposition would run away with the win 9-5.
The Islanders’ next home game will be on Tuesday, January 24, against The Bishop’s School.
