In their third playoff game, the Lady Warriors ended their season with a loss of 6-8 against the Westlake Chaparrals on Monday, October 13. Although the outcome of the game also dictated the end of their water polo season, the Lady Warriors left knowing they had put up a formidable fight against the Chaparrals.

“[We were] hoping for a 7-6 win, which was the predicted score,” Iman Xu ‘28 said.

Jumping into the first quarter, the Warriors maintained both a steady defense and offense, keeping their stamina steady. Having experienced some prior hiccups regarding stamina upkeep, the Lady Warriors were determined to not make any of the same mistakes in this high-stakes match. Keeping this in mind, the Warriors played to their strengths rather than bending to Westlake’s, keeping up at a score of 2-3.

“I think we could’ve won that game,” Ruozhen Ma ‘29 said. “I feel like we’ll definitely be able to beat them next year.”

Throughout the second quarter, both the Chaparrals and the Warriors kept their cards close and their composure calm. The deep thrum of the opposing audiences did little to diminish either of the teams’ spirits, and instead, seemed to spur on their confidence further. When halftime finally hit, with the scoreboard at a 6-5 lead, the Lady Warriors left the pool with little fatigue and an increasing level of newfound assurance.

“It was a close game, and the energy [was] high,” Aisley Romansky ‘27 said. “I appreciate everyone who came to watch and cheer us on.

The third quarter, in stark contrast, took the game to new heights, as both teams careened towards a closer score. A multitude of goals racked up points on both the opposing Chaparrals’ and the defending Warriors’ side, until both teams had blown up to a total score of 6-6. 

“It was a nerve-racking moment,” Ines Rodilla-Delgado ’29 said. “Seeing how close we were to winning was amazing, but Westlake was just as close [as we were].”

The scoreboard, illuminating this close cut score, urged each team on to victory. With only a few minutes left on the clock, the scrutiny of the crowd suddenly became tangible. The Lady Warriors, having brought their best game, took Westlake head on for a hopeful triumph. Both teams played with confidence, trying to score the game winning goal – however, the Warriors’ defense began to falter. Westlake was quickly able to take full advantage of the turnaround in Warrior momentum, slamming the girls with two near back-to-back goals. The Chaparrals left the Lady Warriors behind with a 6-8 score by the end of the final quarter.

“It’s one of those things that, even though the loss for seniors hit hard, we fought back, did our best, and had fun,” Jazzlyn Vaughan ‘26 said. “Seeing the girls be so happy while playing their last [was] great.”