The first game of the season for the women’s water polo team season ended in a dominating victory of 14-4 over Santa Monica College on Sept. 19 at the Steven E. Schofield Aquatics Center.
“It’s the first one of the season, and we’re really just going to take it game by game,” Pierce’s head coach Sarah Van Norman said. “It would be great to go undefeated like the girls did last year, but honestly we are going to take it game by game. We would love to win conference again, but overall success is really about progressing throughout the season and growing and learning and being great teammates. That’s success in my opinion.”
Santa Monica College, whose season opened up with a one-out-of-four-win scorecard at a Cuesta College tournament over the weekend, seemed confident about how the match would end up.
“I think that the two teams will match up pretty well and from last weekend, I think that they are going to improve a lot,” Santa Monica’s head coach Jennifer Bullock said.
Within the first five seconds of the game, the Brahmas took possession of the ball and utility player Darby Schuett fired in the first goal, setting the mood for the rest of the match.
By the end of the first half, the score was an unrecoverable 10-2 over Santa Monica.
“Going in I was feeling a little nervous, but I knew we were going to win,” sophomore utility Maggie Kurzeka said. “Everyday we just practice shooting a lot, and you just focus on tuning up every day.”
The victory over Santa Monica was led by sophomore players Kurzeka with more than five goals, Samantha Buliavac with two, and Andrea Young and Sara Booth, both with single goals.
“We are defending Western State champions and I’m excited that this is their first match,” Pierce Athletic Director Bob Lofrano said. “They just have to play the game, and I think we will do well. We are really well-coached with the Van Norman sisters and Judy and they’re ready to go.”
The next home game for the Brahmas is Oct. 10 at 3:30 p.m. against Los Angeles Valley College.
