Photo Credit: Eric Evans

A M-A cap.

After losing to St. Francis by one goal in the CCS finals before a huge crowd at Avery Aquatic Center on Stanford campus, last year ended in frustration and disappointment for the girls’ water polo team. The Lady Bears were heavily favored in the match, as they had beaten the Lancers in all previous games that season and were anchored by standout seniors Hannah Breen (now playing at UC Davis) and Morgan Leech (now playing at ASU), as well as then-junior phenom Becca Dorst.

After such a loss, it was initially uncertain how the 2009 team would respond. It was clear that Becca Dorst would anchor the offense, while her sister Emily Dorst would prove exceptional in the goal (she routinely tallies 10 or more saves per game). However, the question was posed: could the rest of the team step up to support Becca and other returning starters Vanessa Lane and Anna Geiduschek.

The answer is a definitive yes. In last weekend’s Amanda MacDonnald Invitational Tournament, the Bears went 4-0, defeating Soquel, Paly, and Leland by huge margins before finally beating St. Francis in the championship game. This improves their season record to 11-1, and brings them to the #1 seed in CCS. And one cannot emphasize enough the importance of avenging their previous loss against St. Francis.

Becca had 4 goals, while Emily remained a force in the goal, racking up 14 saves. The Bears held St. Francis scoreless for 14 straight minutes and won the match 6-5. With such impressive performances already under their belt, expectations are high for the rest of the Lady Aqua-Bear’s season.