Despite strong defensive efforts, the Carlmont varsity boys water polo team extended their losing streak to seven games with a 12-9 loss at home to Woodside Priory on the afternoon of Oct. 9.
The Carlmont Scots had an aggressive start to the game, ending the first quarter ahead. By the second quarter, the Priory Panthers began to assert dominance and flipped the score around. The Scots managed to keep a solid defense throughout the game, yet their offensive plays were ineffective, leading them to constantly trail a few points behind for the remainder of the game.
“I’d say this was probably our best defensive game yet, but one of our worst offensive games,” said Carlmont High School senior Keegan Sullivan.
The Scots have had a rough season, with a record of 1-6 in the Peninsula Athletic Bay League. They hope to have a successful season by improving their offense and learning from their mistakes in their upcoming game against Hillsdale High School.
“I think we need to be smarter on offense and make smarter decisions to make better passes, but I believe that we can improve,” Sullivan said.
The first quarter was an exciting and eventful start for the Scots, ending in a 3-2 lead. Senior Carson Woo scored the first two goals with a backhand shot, followed by Eli Samon, despite a missing cap.
Throughout the quarter, Aeron Gurskis, a junior, was sent to kickout twice for fouls.
“The refereeing was a little discouraging,” said Carlmont coach Oliver Crawford-Selmadine.
Eager to take the lead, the Panthers came into the second quarter stronger than before. However, this did not prevent Carlmont’s goalie, sophomore Zach Brier, from making a save.
Fans stayed energized and cheered for every play the Scots made, even as the quarter ended with a 5-4 score for the Panthers.
Beginning the second half, Brier later made another crucial save from a penalty throw due to a foul. Carlmont’s foul troubles continued when Woo was later sent to kickout.
After Samon narrowly missed two close shots, Coach Crawford called a timeout to regroup the team. Coming out of the huddle, Sinjin Roelle and Nate Dempsey each scored, leaving a score of 9-6 for the Panthers at the end of the third quarter.
The Scots fought hard to overcome the Panthers’ lead in the final quarter, including a penalty shot goal by Samon. This did not prove to be enough, resulting in a 12-9 loss for the Scots.
“We were motivating and communicating better than the last game, which is something we wanted to work on. It just ended up not going our way,” Crawford said.
Still, Crawford is optimistic about the team’s ability to develop and grow.
“We need to learn how to face adversity and work on improving certain fundamental skills,” Brier said.
