The boys water polo team was defeated by the Sequoia Ravens 9-7 in a hard-fought game on Wednesday evening.
M-A came out hot to begin the game, winning the sprint and quickly establishing an aggressive offense. Senior Spencer Harding buried the ball with 6:14 in the period, followed by senior Maro Eaton finding the net, establishing an early 2-0 advantage.
The quarter ended hastily, with the Ravens’ attempts blocked by senior goalkeeper Michael Poirier to keep M-A in the lead 2-0.
“We know each other better, and I think in the pool that translates to a more trusting offense,” sophomore Johnny Andeen said.
The Bears started the second quarter with intense defense, as Harding blocked a pass by the Ravens to hold down the lead. M-A’s pressure forced Sequoia into rushed shots, which resulted in impressive saves from Poirier.
As the momentum built, M-A made several promising scoring attempts. However, the crossbar prevented the ball from finding the back of the net. The Bears rushed back on defense and successfully halted the Ravens with another block by Poirier.
The action died down briefly, with both teams battling for an opportunity to score. After an advance from Sequoia and a well-timed interception by sophomore Chase Wescott, M-A sprang back into action. Despite the Bears’ solid defense, the Ravens managed to sneak the ball past Poirier, putting them on the board 2-1. Determined, M-A responded with senior Grant Wescott firing a rocket past Sequoia’s goalkeeper, furthering their lead 3-1 with 2:55 left to play.
Despite the Bears’ offensive efforts, a turnover provided the Ravens with an opening, setting the total at 3-2. M-A, eager to increase its lead, put forth an incredible performance as C. Wescott sank the ball with 1:08 left on the clock to increase the advantage to 4-2.
“I think we’ve gotten a lot closer as a team. I think we’re definitely better at passing and just overall players,” senior Will Kesselman said.
An ejection left the Bears down one player, allowing the Ravens to sneak the ball past yet again, closing the gap to 4-3 to end the half.
Sequoia opened the half with combativeness, immediately firing shots at M-A. However, all attempts were blocked by Poirier.
“Our coach has a saying, pretend that you’re a goldfish. If you make one bad mistake, just forget about it,” junior Matthew Zadeh said.
The teams continued to battle, and the Ravens eventually converted on an outside goal from Sequoia, making the score 4-4 with 3:58 left on the clock.
M-A retaliated, seeking revenge as Eaton promptly sank one to establish the Bears’ lead again, 5-4. The Ravens was unfazed despite an ejection on Sequoia, quickly following with a goal, 5-5.
The Bears and the Ravens began the fourth quarter with intensity, both teams looking to establish a lead. M-A’s defense kept Sequoia at bay, forcing them to pass the ball around before sneaking a shot past Poirier with 6:41 remaining.
Sequoia’s streak continued as the Bears were unable to hold them from another goal, furthering the lead to 7-5. Despite suffocating defense from senior Navid Riahi, the Ravens sunk another shot, establishing a solid 8-5 lead. Sequoia scored again with 2:47 on the clock, igniting a fighting spirit from M-A as they looked to catch up.
Determined, the Bears fought back, with Riahi retaliating by sinking a shot, setting the score to 9-6. Followed shortly thereafter by another goal, this time by Lee. Despite this push, the game ended 9-7 in favor of the Ravens.
“Sequoia is a pretty good team, and I know we can keep pace with them. So I think it’ll give us poise going into the future,” Andeen said.
The Bears will play the Carlmont Scots away on Friday at 6 p.m.
