Girls Water Polo Continues Streak … Moves to 13-0.

There was no rest for the Lady Dons this weekend as they were forced to work hard to defend their unbeaten record with home games against two of the leading contenders from the Central Coast Section. The day started with a match up against Soquel High School (8-3) from Santa Cruz, a team the Dons had beaten last month in the semi-finals of the Amanda McDonald Invitational. The Dons started slowly, taking some time to find their rhythm and struggling to convert their chances whilst at the other end Soquel were proving determined and forced Dons goalie, Ava Donleavy, to make a number of saves. As the quarter wore on the Dons began to find their range and goals from Claire Rowell and Alana McCartney set them on their way before Rowell drew a 5m penalty shot that Jewel Roemer converted. However, Soquel refused to lie down and managed to peg the score back to 5-3 at the end of the first quarter. The Dons moved up a gear in the second quarter and gave themselves some breathing space with two goals from Roemer and one from Rowell. At half-time the score was 8-3. With a lead established, the Lady Dons were able to relax and go through their paces, including one exquisite move where Alex Mould passed long from halfway to find a fast breaking Roemer who caught the ball over her shoulder and then passed inside to the supporting Rowell to put it into the cage. The final score was 14-7 with Roemer scoring seven goals with others from Rowell (3), McCartney (2), Heidi Heffelfinger and Brooke Westphal. Rowell and McCartney each made three assists and Ava Donleavy made ten saves.

The second game of the afternoon was against a very strong Sacred Heart Prep team (12-1) who were looking for revenge after the Lady Dons had inflicted their only loss of the season in the final of the Amanda McDonald Invitational. With their unbeaten record at stake, the Lady Dons looked to the leadership of seniors Mary Beth Heffelfinger, Jewel Roemer and Brooke Westphal to show them the way. The game started fiercely with neither side giving any quarter and SHP attempting to impose their physical style on the Dons. With chances in short supply, the Dons eventually managed to work some space for Brooke Westphal who finished strongly with a shot into the top corner. The Dons continued to press and a long pass out from goalie Ava Donleavy found Jewel Roemer breaking fast to score. A further goal from Alex Mould meant the Dons ended the first quarter with a 3-0 lead but the game remained tight. The second quarter did not start well for the Dons with the strong SHP center drawing successive kick outs on the Acalanes defense and soon the score was back to 3-2. Acalanes dug deep to rally and scores from Westphal and Roemer meant they led 5-3 at half time. The third quarter continued to be a battle with SHP scoring twice from loose balls in front of the cage and Dons defender, Mould, having to leave the game with a cut eye. Despite the physical nature of the game, the Dons continued to show their skill with goals from Westphal, Rowell, Roemer and Heidi Heffelfinger putting them further ahead. The Dons closed out the game in the fourth quarter with some strong defending from Caroline Schirmer and a sublime piece of skill from Roemer, who brought gasps from the crowd, as she left her defender befuddled before shooting calmly into the net. The score finished 12-7, with the goals coming from Westphal (4), Roemer (4), Rowell (2), Mould and Heidi Heffelfinger. Roemer made four assists and Donleavy made twelve saves. The Lady Dons now move on to more league play this week against Las Lomas on Tuesday.