The Las Positas men’s water polo team hosted Diablo Valley for their home opener this past Wednesday. The hawks entered the match with a 7-6 record, winning seven of their last 10 contests.
The Hawks were looking to get revenge against the Diablo Valley Vikings, a team who had recently defeated them in the William Antilla Tournament on Sept. 17. Both teams performed exceptionally well in the tournament, with Diablo Valley placing first and Las Positas placing third.
The match kicked off at 3:15 P.M. to a large crowd eagerly awaiting the Hawk’s first game at home. The elements were perfect for a water polo game, and the competition would not disappoint.
The match was an epic back-and-forth battle that ended with the Hawks taking a tough 12-10 loss. The final score of 12-10 is the closest final score that the Hawks have had all season.
The match started slowly, with both teams scoring three goals through the first quarter. Diablo Valley’s goalies showed off some excellent saves to keep the game tied going into the second quarter. In fact, Diablo Valley’s goalies were exceptional throughout the entire match.
Diablo Valley would gain ground and race toward a 9-6 lead by halftime. The Hawks had trouble keeping DVC’s shots from finding the back of the net, but the deficit was manageable.
The third quarter was easily the most entertaining stretch of play throughout the match. Both teams’ benches cheered loudly when their squad made a play, which made the energy around the pool palpable. Things got pretty chippy between the Hawks and the Vikings, with one DVC player receiving a yellow card for arguing with an official.
The score coming out of the third quarter was 12-8 in favor of DVC. The Hawks sped up the pace, knowing they would need to play near perfect to overcome the four-goal deficit. The Hawks made a game out of it, scoring two unanswered goals in the fourth quarter. However, DVC could drain the clock and finish the game without getting into too much trouble.
DVC and LPC both put up impressive fights, and DVC asserted their dominance once again. This matchup may bloom into a heated rivalry, with both teams boasting massive amounts of competitive vigor. It will be interesting to see these teams face off again, but until then, the Diablo Valley Viking’s reign supreme.
Mason Newbould is a staff writer for The Express.
