Corsairs struggle to close gap
As the sound of the horn pierced the record-high Los Angeles afternoon heat last Wednesday, the Lady Corsairs water polo team kicked off their second match of the year against Ventura College. The game ended in 15-5 loss for the Corsairs as the VC Pirates picked up their second consecutive win.
"They started off pretty good. I just wished they kept up with their defense and hard work," said spectator Natasha Chu. "They could have won this one."The first quarter started with a splash as the Pirates came out stealing the ball relatively easily from the Corsairs, leading to the first two scores of the game.
Shortly after the Pirates' triumph, however, the Corsairs stung back with a score of their own that closed the deficit to one point.After a near-miss opportunity with fifteen seconds left in the first period, the Corsairs would remain behind for the rest of the period and wouldn't get any closer.
Throughout the second period, the Pirates dominated the Corsairs by adding five points to their lead and taking control of the match.
But the outcome relied not only on the offensive onsluaght of the away team, as it must also be attributed to the polished defensive game of the Pirates.Santa Monica could only muster one point in response, leaving the score at 2-9 as they moved well into the five-minute break.
"We need to get everyone involved, not just one or two people," said head coach Steve Contarsy.
"Way too much time has been spent underwater."The Corsairs found little reprieve in the third period, as the Pirates pounded in four more goals past a weak Santa Monica defense."Girls, keep shooting, keep moving towards the cage," said coach Contarsy to the team as he witnessed the Pirates defense block yet another chance for a point.
Despite some late scores by the Lady Corsairs that included a well-executed strike from Judith Cuevas, the Ventura lead was simply insurmountable.
Look for SMC to bounce back on Thursday as they take on Cuesta in another crucial conference matchup that marks the last time the Ladies play at home this season.