Women’s Water Polo Weekly News Recap
The Lady Wolverine Water Polo Team got more experience playing the defending State Champions last week in a tough game against Gig Harbor. Natasha Schmid, Katie Duff and Elena Acevedo (twice) captured the sprints to give Bellevue the ball at the top of each quarter. Goalkeeper Sophia Simons saved three shots each quarter; Jenna Frazer understands that the most valuable commodity in polo is POSSESSION; Jenna led the roster with three key steals; Team Captain Morgan Baker had another gravity-defying interception. An excellent first half, Bellevue played a tough defense holding the Tides to 4-0. Schmiddie added a great save to her record in the second quarter. Shots were taken by Tatiana Pasewark, Holly Harris, Team Captain Schmiddie (Sophia Schmid), Natasha Schmid, but all were denied…until the 4th quarter. Holly Harris scored from center followed by Morgan Baker. Final Score 10-2 Gig Harbor. We will not have another opportunity to play them until Regionals later in May.
The JV Squad had a good match, too. Final Score 8-3 Gig Harbor. Katie and Grace had some good seals in the hole. Saturday JV battled Roosevelt and won 4-3! Claire and Chloe defended the goal with skillful saves. Sophia led in steals and assists; Jamie, Katie and Fiona supported with strong defense. Goals were scored by Claire, Maddie and Grace (2). Lots of shots taken!
Thank you to the Frazer Family for the awesome homemade carnitas and steak tacos with hand roasted tomatillos for the multitudinous crowd at the Team Dinner after the Gig Harbor game!
Next week the Team travels to Bainbridge Island Thursday April 13th; Game time 4:00 at the Bainbridge Aquatic Center, 8521 Madison Avenue N.
April 2nd
The Bellevue Lady Wolverine Water Polo Team had another banner week at home with two games at The Edgebrook Pool victoriously hosting Puyallup and Roosevelt. Tuesday 3/28 Puyallup was defeated 10-1. Natasha Schmid swept all four opening sprints to set up Bellevue’s offense each quarter. Goals were scored by Team Captain Sophia Schmid, Natasha Schmid (whopping 4), Elena Acevedo (2), Team Captain Morgan Baker (2 — one sly back-handed goal), and Tatiana Pasewark. It was a great game for the girls to work on both their offensive plays and their defense. There were too many steals and interceptions to track. Jenna started off the annihilation with the first steal, then another one and then Tati joined in with another, and Madison was next. Sophia Simons saved three shots in the fist half and Erica Esselstrom shared the goal in the second half.
Wednesday 3/29 we faced off with Roosevelt and clearly dominated from the beginning sprint by Natasha. Again, there were too many steals, assists and interceptions to count, but Natasha’s opening steal started the shut out in the first quarter. Two notable interceptions by Morgan Baker had her defying gravity, waist-high out of the water for the steals. We focused on setting up our offense in the second half rather than continuing to score goals. Goals were scored by Madison Klein (before she dislocated her shoulder!), Natasha Schmid (2), Holly Harris (3), Morgan Baker, Tatiana Pasewark, Jenna Frazer, Sophia Schmid, Sarah Kim. Everyone scored and assisted! Holly and Schmiddie had a dynamic duo thing going with Schmiddie’s passes spot-on to Holly for her spin goals from the hole. Erica Esselstrom relieved Sophia Simons in the goal in Q2. Final score 15-2 BHS.
This coming week we have only one game against the #1 team in the state, Gig Harbor. Game time 4:15 Thursday at Edgebrook. Come out and cheer for the girls!
Here are the last ten days of Girls Polo! We started the seven game week with a win Wednesday evening 3/22 in Inglemoor. The final score was 15-3, allowing the team to set up their offense and practice plays in a game situation without so much stress.
Sonia and Richard Pasewark hosted a memorable, awesome team Dinner Thursday night after practice. Thank you again, Sonia for the candlelight supper you so carefully prepared all day and watched disappear in mere nanoseconds! 
Friday evening we upset the reigning KingCo champions Newport HS. The team was able to practice and execute many of their plays and many girls took shots. Natasha Schmid started the aggressive play with a steal right out of the blocks. Shortly after that steal, Sophomore Jenna Frazer scored off of a nice pass from Morgan Baker. Jenna won the sprint beginning Q2. Morgan scored on a 5M penalty shot. Goalie Sophia Simons played fiercely in the cage. Sophia Schmid made a long pool length pass to Madison who swam it in for another goal, making the score 3-2 at the half. Q3 Morgan sent a pass to Natasha Schmid, setting up a textbook goal. Jenna gets another one in a moment later. Schmiddie was robbed of several frustrating shots off the rim. Tatiana Pasewark nailed a buzzer beater from way outside stunning the Newport team 6-2 BHS at the end of Q3. The final quarter with Erica Esselstrom in goal started with Madison Klein driving in a great pass to Holly in the hole who spun and scored. Madison’s quick steal saved a Newport potential goal. With Natasha’s assistance, Lefty Madison shot from the corner to score and end the game with a final score of Bellevue 8 to Newport 3.
A big shout out to would-be Professional Sportswriter Rich Pasewark for his copious notes from the PSP tournament!
PSP Tournament Recap
The PSP tournament had BHS playing in three games Saturday 3/25 to determine the two Sunday games.
Game 1 BHS vs Narrows. The Narrows team is primed with The #1 Gig Harbor Team plus one
First quarter BHS only gets two shots on goal. Q2 Tati gets a quick shot but it is blocked.
One minute in, Natasha Schmid gets nice shot and scores from 8 meters. Nice!
First half ends Narrows up 3-1. Q3 We can’t keep track of stellar Sophia Simons saves!
Good D by Natasha and Sophia Schmid to stop several drives.
Goal by Morgan Baker from 2 meters to bring score to 3-2 with 3:45 left in the quarter
Shot on goal by Katie stopped. Quarter ends 5-2 Narrows
Q4 Several BHS shots on goal but all missed or blocked
Nice stop by Morgan. Man up for BHS, but failed to execute
Erica replaced Simons in goal 8-2 final Narrows.
Game 2 BHS vs Blue Crush.
One hour to rest after Narrows game. At the half, it is evident that they just needed an hour! BHS up 4-1 at the half. Erica had her chance in the cage with many saves. Goals were the following: Natasha assist to Morgan for a goal on a fast break, Jenna assist to Natasha for a goal, Elena assist to Jenna for a goal and Schmiddie assist in man-up to Jenna for another goal. Open shots by Morgan and Tati both hit the bar. Man down Defended, nice save by Erica.
Q3 Katie scores on a long, cross pool pass from Natasha 5-2 BHS. Score by Morgan at 8 seconds left in the third 6-2
Q4 Morgan assist to Elena for a goal. Lots of hit crossbars! Then Team Captain Schmiddie took a pass from Katie for our last goal, 8-5 Final Bellevue.
Game 3 BHS vs PSP after a measly hour of rest.
PSP scores two right away and then Tati scores on a pass from Jenna. Man up situation for BHS; Offense works the ball and Natasha assists Morgan for the score 3-2 PSP. Man up PSP saved by Simons. Q2 Morgan to Tati in the post — score! 4-3 PSP
Cross pool pass from Jenna to Sophia Schmid for the score! Tied 4-4
Fast break Schmiddie to Jenna for the score! 10 seconds left in quarter. BHS 5-4
5 meter shot for PSP Skip shot scores 5-5 at end of half
Q3 Fast break Tati shot missed. PSP scores two more. Then Jenna scores from point 7-6 PSP
Natasha to Tatiana for the score! 7-7 at the end of Q3
PSP pulls fresh players from their revolving bench…BHS has no fresh players!
Q4 of this neck and neck battle Natasha Schmid scores from 10 meters out! LONG BOMB! BHS 8-7
Katie Duff scores on fast break pass from Natasha. BHS 9-7 And Morgan scores on a fast break BAM! BHS 10-7
PSP scores on lob 32 seconds left; BHS 10-8 Final score
At 2nd place in our division, we were slated to first play the #2 team in the state — Curtis. Depending on that outcome, we would either advance to the Tournament Championship match up or battle for 3rd/4th
Sunday
Game 1 BHS vs Curtis; Curtis is the #2 team in the state
Q1 Good D to start the game
Man down defended. Attaway2go Sophia Simons! We would have 6 situations this Q1 where Curtis was in scoring position and we defend successfully! Twice Curtis was man up and we defended!
Brilliant saves by Sophia Simons
Classic interception by Morgan Baker
Simons blocks and recovers ball one last time before the buzzer
End of quarter no score!!!
Q2 More strong D
Tati and Morgan steal
Tati from the corner – goal! 4:58 to go in quarter
BHS 1-0
Man down
Defended! Simon saves it again!
Curtis scores with 2:17 to go in the half
Tied 1-1
Man down saved by Simons
Steal by Curtis and defended again by BHS
Curtis finally scores at 14 mins in with a wave pushing the ball into the goal
End of half tied 1-1
Q3 Natasha wins the sprint!
Morgan released and got the ball to Tati in the hole
Tati SWOOPED around and scored 2-1 BHS
Man down defended
Steal by Elena Acevedo and more good D
Madison shoots, is blocked and Morgan recovers shoots and scores! 3-1 BHS
Shot off the bar by Natasha
Bad ejection — Madison is rolled and now a 5 meter shot for Curtis
Simons saves!
Curtis scores off a tip in 3-2 BHS
Man down and saved again by Morgan and Simons
Steal by Curtis on double team
Foul on Morgan and man down again
Curtis shot misses
Man down again and DEFENDED
Another blocked shot by Morgan!
End Q3 BHS up 3-2
Q4 starts with a steal by Schmiddie! Then Elena blocks a Curtis shot
Curtis is man up, but we are victorious! Morgan’s arm in the air intimidated their shooters!
Natasha has an important steal
Elena is rolled; we are man down
Sophia saves the shot
Strong D
We can barely keep up with all of the ejections…
Erica comes in to play field not goalie! We are out of players almost!
Still 3-2 BHS
Tati rolled for touching the ball (during a foul and it was Curtis’ free pass)
40 seconds to go
No players left on the bench
Curtis Lob goal with 11 seconds left
Tied 3-3 at the end of Q4
Sudden Death Shootout!
This tests the steel of Sophia Simons!
Simons saves first shot by Curtis!
Now it is Bellevue’s turn…
Morgan shoots and scores!
4-3 Game to BHS!
In all, 13 BHS ejections!!! And the parent section is hoarse.
Curtis had no ejections.
The win against gets BHS into the championship game against Narrows (the first team we played on the tournament, basically the Gig Harbor team plus 1)
For 1st/2nd place in the tournament:
Q1 BHS vs Narrows
Man up Morgan shot blocked by goalie
Narrows scores on 2 meter lob 5:35 to go in quarter
Tati shot from set saved by goalie twice
Better passing and offense by BHS but fail to secure a goal
Narrows scores again 4:04 2-0
Turnover by BHS And another score by Narrows at 3:06
Narrows up 3-0
Sophia Schmid gets a shot off
Man down defended — good work!
Great Save by Simons and Good D by Elena
Missed shot by Morgan saved by Narrows goalie
End of first quarter Narrows leads 3-0
Q2 Tough shot by Schmiddie, but it can’t find the goal
Narrows up 4-0
Tati pass to Schmiddie; shot no good. Narrows goalie is tough
Man down — And narrows scores. Narrows up 6-0 at half
Q3 Tati pass to Schmiddie and saved by Narrows goalie
Man up BHS and Morgan scores on pass from Sophia Schmid
Narrows 6-1…Again Man down and narrows scores. 7-1
End of Q3 Narrows 9-1
Q4 Good D to start. Pass Sophia Schmid to Morgan for the score from 2 meters
Narrows 9-2. Good D again and missed shot by Narrows
Man down and nice save by Simons
Narrows scores again up 10-2 with 3:20 to go in game (running clock)
Shot by Jenna blocked by defender
Steal by Natasha up to Morgan and shot goes over the goal. SO CLOSE!
Man up BHS. Score by Schmiddie at the buzzer
Final score Narrows 10 BHS 3
BHS takes second in tournament with only a few subs and several injured/sick players
