GILROY – Able to adapt to its leading scorer being heavily
covered for a majority of the game, the Gilroy High girls varsity
water polo team proved it could put points on the board from all
spots in the pool in a 13-8 victory over visiting R.L. Stevenson on
Wednesday.
GILROY – Able to adapt to its leading scorer being heavily covered for a majority of the game, the Gilroy High girls varsity water polo team proved it could put points on the board from all spots in the pool in a 13-8 victory over visiting R.L. Stevenson on Wednesday.
Despite being double teamed at times, offensive catalyst junior Chelsea Hill still managed six goals, but it was the contributions of the Mustangs’ other scoring threats that stood out to coach Sean LaGuardia.
“We can’t just rely on one player. We have to learn how to pass it around the perimeter,” LaGuardia said. “We want to get all the girls to have confidence in their own shots. They are going to double team Chelsea a lot and we are going to have to find different ways to work around it. This was a good start.”
Hill scored at will in the first quarter, taking passes from junior Leah Ailes (three assists) and with a quick turn and shoot method she helped the Mustangs jump out to a 4-1 lead at the end of the first seven minutes.
The Pirates made it a point to clog the middle once Hill received the ball, so she turned to her teammates for an offensive surge which began to take form midway through the second quarter.
After the Pirates brought the score to 4-3, sophomore Francesca Comin swam the ball in from the right corner and ripped a shot into the cage. She scored again on the Mustangs’ next possession to put them back up by three.
The third quarter belonged to the Mustangs. GHS gained the first possession of the half and sophomore Michelle Shields used her speed to squirt around her defender and create a breakaway to the goal, finishing the drive with a healthy toss into the cage.
“They played hard, but I can swim fast and I used that to get around them,” said Shields, who had two goals, two assists and two steals in the game. “I was like, ‘I’ve got to make this. I’ve got to get this right now.'”
Junior Nicole Nelsen added two of her three goals in the third quarter and Hill added her fifth goal of the game as the Mustangs built a 10-6 lead into the fourth.
Shields got the Mustangs off and swimming again, putting in the first goal of the quarter just eight seconds in. Hill and Nelson rounded out the scoring spree with one goal apiece in the final period of play.
Mustangs’ goalie, junior Devan Lauber, made some nifty stops in net, posting eight saves.
“Devan played really well today,” LaGuardia said. “She has a quick reaction to the ball.”
Lauber made a highlight-reel save in the third quarter. With the Mustangs’ down a player, she leaped up to slap a Pirates’ shot to the side. The save led to a goal for GHS.
Photos and story to appear in Friday’s print edition of the Dispatch
BOX SCORE
Sophomore, Michelle Shields
2 goals
2 assists
2 steals
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Junior, Nicole Nelsen
3 goals
4 steals
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Junior, Chelsea Hill
6 goals
3 assists
5 steals
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Sophomore, Francesca Comin
2 goals
1 assist
1 steal
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Junior, Lauren Rhodes
2 assists
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Junior, Leah Ailes
3 assists
3 steals
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Junior Devan Lauber
8 saves
