On Thursday, Oct. 11, Redwood girls’ varsity water polo played a close game against Marin Catholic (MC) with an ending score of 5-7. Redwood continued to put up a fight while the teams alternated taking the lead. The team’s energy stayed consistent, showcasing their enthusiasm and endurance throughout the entire game, according to junior and captain Giselle Orson.

“Once the game started, our team was working really cohesively… . I think this is one of the best games we’ve had this season because when they scored, we didn’t let it get to us. We worked really hard, we held our ground and I’m proud of how we played,” Orson said.

During the second quarter, a shot by Orson gained Redwood a 2-1 lead, until MC followed up with two shots, leaving 10 seconds until halftime. Orson scored a skillful goal from half court with only 1 second left to the end of the quarter, allowing Redwood to tie MC 3-3. In the third and fourth quarters, back and forth goals between the teams were made, including one by junior Annabelle Kilgore.

In the end, despite a block preventing MC from scoring another point by Kilgore, Redwood was defeated by MC with a final score of 5-7. Senior captain Zoe Zedlitz spoke to how the team could enhance their performance for the following games.

“I think we can improve with our shots. A lot of them hit the bar and almost [went] in [the goal] but if we took the extra second, it could be [a] stronger, more placed [shot],” Zedlitz said. 

Orson discussed the challenge that MC posed during the game, as well as potential changes that could be implemented for Redwood to improve in the future.

“We still struggle a lot with safe passes [and] good shots. I think the more technical we can get with our play, the better we will become,” said Orson. “MC [is] really fast, they’re determined and those girls are conditioned. You can definitely see that in their play. Maybe not this season, but next season, I want our team to implement more weight room and conditioning, because [MC] was able to keep their stamina throughout the whole game and that’s something that we could benefit from.”

Redwood girls’ varsity water polo will go head-to-head with Terra Linda at a home game on Oct. 17 at 4 p.m.