ENUMCLAW WATER POLO: EHS girls seventh in state water polo

With an 11-8 overtime win over Auburn Mountainview Saturday, the Enumclaw High girls water polo team finished seventh at the state tournament at Rogers High in Puyallup.

By Brenda Sexton • May 24, 2010 5:00 pm

With an 11-8 overtime win over Auburn Mountainview Saturday, the Enumclaw High girls water polo team finished seventh at the state tournament at Rogers High in Puyallup.

Enumclaw started the tournament with a 16-1 loss to eventual champion Gig Harbor May 19. The Hornets continued play with a 7-3 loss to third-place finisher Auburn Riverside Friday, before Saturday’s victory over the Lions.

Erin Stucker scored the first goal against Mountainview on the Hornets’ first possession of the game, 19 seconds into play. Ali Ballard scored two minutes into the game to add to the Hornet lead, but Mountainview fought back, tying the game early in the second period with two quick scores. Enumclaw’s Lindsay Bowden and and the Lions exchanged goals later in the second frame to keep the teams tied at three at halftime.

Mountainview took a 4-3 lead in the opening third period, but Bowden scored a minute later on a penalty shot to knot the game at four, and scored again on the next Hornet possession for the advantage. Stucker and Bowden both scored again in the third quarter for Enumclaw and the Lions added another to finish the third quarter with a 7-6 Enumclaw lead.

Mountainview answered to tie the contest at seven. Enumclaw took the lead with four minutes left, when Stucker scored on a Lion exclusion, but Mountainview tied the game again with 2:13 remaining. The two teams went scoreless for the final two minutes forcing the game into overtime.

The Hornets took control with Bowden scoring early in the first overtime, and Stucker scored on another Lion exclusion, to give Enumclaw the 10-8 advantage after the first 3-minute overtime period. Enumclaw clinched the win when Stucker scored again in the second overtime period.

Bowden and Stucker each scored five goals against Auburn Mountainview, and Ballard added one.

Kelsey Sonneson scored the lone goal in the opening-round loss; Bowden, Stucker and Annie Birklid each scored a goal in Friday’s game.

Bowden and fellow EHS senior Shaye Hogerhuis were named to the all-state honorable mention team.

The Hornets finished the 2010 season with a 13-9-1 record, earning their fifth consecutive trip to the state tournament.