The Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team finished the first week of competition 1-1 in league play, 1-2 overall.
On Tuesday the Hornets held their home opener, hosting the
state powerhouse Curtis Vikings, last year’s state semi-finalist. Enumclaw
scored first, when junior Brandi Meneghini scored on a Hornet power play in the
game’s second minute; Enumclaw took a 2-0 lead on their next possession on a
goal by senior captain Hayley Sonneson.
Curtis scored 30 seconds later on their own power play to
narrow the score. The two defenses held for the last four and a half minutes of
the opening period, for a 2-1 Enumclaw lead at the end of one quarter.
Viking Hannah Kim scored twice in the second quarter’s first
two minutes, to give Curtis a 3-2 advantage. Defense prevailed for the next
three minutes, as both teams went scoreless. Each team scored a goal in the
final two minutes of the half, and Curtis held a 4-3 edge at halftime.
Both teams’ offenses picked up steam in the second half,
with Curtis outscoring the home team 4-3 in the third period, to take an 8-6
lead into the final quarter. The Vikings’ Mac Higgings scored three quick goals
to open the quarter before Sonneson scored for the Hornets, and Curtis added
one midway through the period. Both teams went scoreless in the final three
minutes, and Curtis earned the 12-7 win.
Seniors Sonneson and Bailey Sexton, and junior Brandi
Meneghini scored two apiece for the Hornets; junior Sierra Clough scored
one. Junior goalkeeper Lauren
Pratt registered 10 saves. For Curtis, Mac Higgins and Alexia Wander scored
four each, and Hannah Km and Willow Lopez-Silvers each scored two.
Thursday the Hornets traveled to Covington to face their
first league game of the new season, against Kentridge. Enumclaw grabbed an
early lead, with senior captain Bailey Sexton scoring 22 seconds into the game.
Five Hornets scored in the opening period, and the visitors held a 6-1 lead at
the end of one. Enumclaw scored three in the second quarter, and held Kentridge
scoreless for a 9-1 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Enumclaw added four goals, as
Kentridge scored one, and the Hornets led 13-2 with seven minutes remaining.
Kentridge outscored the Hornets 4-2 in the final period, as Enumclaw held on
for a 15-6 final score.
Nine Hornets scored in the win. Brandi Meneghini scored
four, Sexton scored three, and Grace Sales added two. Six girls scored one
apiece, including Hannah Simurdak, Anna Davenport, and Madi Woodall. Three
first-year players scored their first career water polo goals – Kaitlyn
Thorley, Kate Meneghini, and Lindsay Harms. Thorley also grabbed thee saves,
playing goalkeeper in the final period. Starting goalkeeper Lauren Pratt earned
six saves in three quarters of work.
On Saturday, Enumclaw visited the Auburn Riverside Ravens at
the Auburn Pool, for a 5:00 p.m. contest. Both teams played stout defense,
scoreless through the first few possessions, until Enumclaw’s Grace Sales broke
the deadlock, scoring with 3:50 left in the opening quarter, Riverside’s
Charissa Dorn knotted the score at 1-1 with 54 seconds remaining in the period.
Anna Davenport scored on the counter attack midway through
the second quarter to give Enumclaw the lead, but Raven Grace Dorn scored two goals
late in the quarter, for an Auburn Riverside halftime lead. The Hornets fought
back to a tie midway through the third period, but the Ravens scored two quick
goals to close out the quarter, taking a 6-4 lead in the final period.
The Hornets played close through most of the final quarter,
but the Ravens scored two goals in their last two possessions to clinch the 9-5
victory. Grace Sales, Anna Davenport, Grace Rich, Hayley Sonneson, and Bailey
Sexton each scored one goal for the Hornets.
Enumclaw continues league play on Monday, hosting Tahoma in
a 8:30 game at the Enumclaw Aquatic Center.
