Water Polo Update – We\’re #2!!

Kelly and the CSUEB water polo girls are having a great year.  Starting the season ranked number 3 behind two so-cal teams, The team is doing really well so far. They’ve already beaten a couple of Division one schools and haven’t lost a game they should’ve won. Kelly already has more goals than she scored all last year. She is getting more playing time and making the most it.   We went to an “all-important” game this last Friday. At the CSUEB pool, the pioneers hosted arch rival UC Santa Cruz in a match that would determine who is #2 in the nation for division III schools. By some fluke, the “SLUG GIRLS” from Santa Cruz beat last years champion and were able to move up 8 spots in the polls. So the Friday game was a MUST. Excitement filled the air.  Lots of fans in the stands. Plenty of slug parents made their way over the hill to see the slug girls play their most important game ever. I don’t think UCSC has ever been ranked higher than 6th.

Turned out to be a great game. We ended up winning a nail-biter 9-8. We started off strong and had a 5-2 lead in the second quarter.  Kelly had a monster block in the 2nd quarter that thwarted a slug attack. The slugs battled their way back however,  and even went ahead by one and led 8-7.  Our girls played great all game long and eventually went ahead 9-8 with 2 minutes to play. Slug girls were pressing hard. Knowing they needed a goal to send the match into overtime. Thats when Kelly made the DEFENSIVE PLAY OF THE DAY by stealing the ball and advancing it to the other side of the pool. SO SWEET!!   Then it was a matter of running out the clock.

  The poll comes out this week and will show CSUEB as #2 behind Pomona.  The girls play Pomona on Saturday. WOOHOO!!  With the monster block and the game ending steal,  Kelly Flaherty is named  jimsjoint’s defensive player of the game! Way to go Kel