Girls Fall 1 Win Short of State
After losing their first four preseason games by a combined score of 51-1, few expected the Bellevue High girls water polo team to be much of a threat in 2013. But at this weekend’s State Wild Card Tournament, the Wolverines came within one win of doing the unexpected. When the water settled at Lakes High School, Bellevue emerged one win shy of qualifying for state. But the tournament capped an impressive season in which 23 athletes re-established the girls water polo program, competed with the state’s best teams, and set up the program for an exciting future.
Eight teams competed for four state berths at the two-day State Wild Card Tournament. Bellevue was placed in a bracket with Puyallup High School (South Division’s #3 seed), Auburn-Riverside High School (East Division’s #3 seed) and Peninsula High School (West Division’s #4 seed).
In game one, Bellevue faced off against a tough Puyallup squad. Junior Sierra Anderson made 13 saves to lead the defense. Freshman Maggie Ugelstad scored two goals and added three ejections drawn to lead the offense. But in the end, a 6-for-23 shooting performance doomed the Wolverines and led to a 10-6 loss. After a tough battle with the Wolverines, Puyallup would go on to easily win its next two games to win the bracket and automatically qualify for state.
In game two, Bellevue squared off against a senior-heavy Auburn-Riverside team. Experience helped the squad from Auburn jump out to a 4-1 first half lead. The Wolverines responded with four goals in the third quarter, but it was not enough as they fell 9-6. Ugelstad scored two goals and had two ejections drawn. Freshman Lillie French chipped in two goals, two assists and five steals. Like Puyallup, Auburn-Riverside would go on to advance to state.
In game three, Bellevue faced Peninsula. Since both teams dropped their first two games, the stakes were high: the winner would advance to a winner-to-state, loser-out game, while the loser’s season would end. With the stakes high, the Wolverines responded. Sierra Anderson turned in her greatest performance of the season, posting a school record 20 blocks to hold the Seahawks to two goals. On the offensive end, junior two-meter Sophie Quynn scored two goals and drew one ejection. Sophie French, Lillie French and Maggie Ugelstad added the remaining three goals to lead the Wolverines.
With the win, the Wolverines advanced to the tournament’s final winner-to-state, loser-out game against Stadium High School. It was an intriguing match up: Stadium beat Bellevue 16-0 in Bellevue’s first preseason game, then escaped with a 6-5 victory in a thrilling mid-season contest at the Auburn Tournament. Could the Wolverines shock the Washington water polo scene and pull off the upset against a familiar foe? When Ugelstad put the Wolverines up 1-0 after a nice first-quarter post-up, it looked like the story-book ending may come true. Ugelstad did her best to keep the Wolverines in the game, drawing six ejections from wing post-ups. But 19 missed shots and a barrage of second half Tiger lobs proved to be too much for the Wolverines. When the final buzzer sounded on the Wolverines’ season, they existed the pool with a 14-7 loss but loads of confidence and optimism for the future.
Bellevue ends its season with an 8-17 record. With only Claire O’Rourke graduating from the varsity squad, the young Wolverines hope to join the ranks of the state’s elite programs as soon as next season.
