Archie Williams Girls Varsity Water Polo started their new season Wednesday, Aug. 30. They faced off against Acalanes High School at the Archie Williams swimming pool. The Falcons struggled during the game and lost 10-3 in a hard-fought contest.

“They were good. There’s no doubt about it. You’ve got to hand it to Acalanes. They played a good game,” said Archie Williams Girls Varsity Water Polo Head Coach Todd Duplanty.

Archie Williams established a 2-1 lead in the beginning of the first quarter, but Acalanes’ offensive power soon overwhelmed them, scoring five consecutive goals in quick succession. The first quarter ended with the Falcons behind 6-2. 

In the second quarter, the Falcons defense stood fast, only allowing two goals, but failed to mount any attacks to break through the defense of Acalanes. After the first half, Acalanes held the lead 8-2.

Coming into the second half, Archie Williams managed to regain some offensive tempo despite being down 2-8. The Falcons kept pace with Acalanes to a greater extent than seen in the first two quarters. Archie Williams goalkeeper Kaely Sullivan blocked several shot attempts while defense managed to slow down Acalanes enough for the Falcons to counterattack any resulting turnover. 

“The game of waterpolo takes a level of communication that we were not holding up on to,” said senior Loretta Hovey. “We really need to improve on putting our shots away and driving and posting up.”

By the end of the third quarter, both teams managed to score a goal, and the third quarter ended with the score at 9-3.The game ended with this 9-3 scoreline, and Archie Williams hopes to build on this game and improve throughout the new season. Last year, Acalanes held the rank of fifth in the nation for girls water polo, while the Falcons had the 28th spot. 

“I think there’s a lot we have to build on,” Duplanty said. “We have a great group of girls, a lot of great pieces… Acalanes is a good team.” 

Historically, Archie Williams has struggled against Acalanes, so they will use this game as a stepping stone to have a competitive conference season. This year’s team recognizes their own potential to rival accomplished teams.

“This [loss] in no way diminishes my belief in what this team can accomplish,” Duplanty said. “Our goal is and always has been with this program that we play together as a team… We lift each other up. That’s what we’re always striving to do.”

The Falcons’ next four water polo games will take place as part of a four-round tournament hosted by Acalanes Sept. 8-9.