Carlsbad girls water polo put on a high-scoring performance on Jan. 9 in their 22-6 win over El Camino, making the Lancers 2-0 for league play. An undefeated league start for the Lancers sets the precedent for a successful season as the team aims for another shot at the CIF championship.

Right out of the gate, the Wildcats scored the first goal of the game, but the Lancers quickly answered with two goals of their own. Building momentum, the Lancers scored four more goals to end the first quarter, combining offensive intensity with tough defensive presence to lead the game 6-2.

The Lancers’ hard work and dedication shows both in the game and during practice.  The team balances a demanding training schedule which includes two workouts every day, both morning and night.

“We try to prepare ourselves both physically and mentally every practice,” senior Tessa Greenlaigh said. “Regardless of who we are playing, we always keep the same competitive mentality.”

With the second quarter underway, El Camino fought back against the Lancers’ persistent defense, scoring two more goals. Despite their resilience, the Wildcats couldn’t contain Carlsbad’s offense, leaving the score 13-4 going into halftime, with the Lancers in the lead.

“We are a young team but we are starting to come together really well,” sophomore Taylor Onstott said. “We’re taking it game by game and focusing on developing as team.”

The third quarter was marked by great defensive plays for Carlsbad, with multiple steals and difficult saves by the goalie. Capitalizing on every El Camino turnover, as well as keeping the Wildcat offense at bay, the Lancers maintained their lead going into the fourth quarter, score 19-4.

Carlsbad continued to control the game into the final minutes, never letting up on either end of the pool. Late in the fourth, El Camino’s defense bounced back as they forced several Carlsbad turnovers, resulting in two goals for the Wildcats in less than 30 seconds off stolen passes. Nevertheless, the Wildcats could not dig deep enough into the Lancer lead before the final whistle, ending the game 22-6, Carlsbad.

With another league win under their belt, the Lancers look forward to continuing their success throughout the remainder of the season and carry that energy into the playoffs, in hopes of claiming another CIF championship for the program.

“Our goals this season are to work hard every day and push each other to our best,” Onstott said. “We want to go as far as we can together, as a team.”