Posted: Sep 04, 2023
Making Strides
Las Positas College women's water polo coach Kate Faix Bennett says she's "excited" to see how far her team can progress this season.
The Hawks have a lot of new players who are quickly making strides in the sport. That was evident in the Las Positas Mini Hawk Invite on Sept. 1, when the Hawks rebounded from a 13-5 loss to Diablo Valley with an 18-10 win over Santa Rosa. The Hawks surged in the second half with 13 goals to erase a 6-5 deficit after two periods.
"It kind of clicked in the second half; the first half was a little dicey," Faix Bennett said.
Freshman utility Makenzie Duffin, a Livermore High graduate, led the way against Santa Rosa with a season-high eight goals, along with two assists. Monica Ureno (Foothill) and Maddie Foster (Livermore) had four goals apiece, and Ureno added two assists.
"We have a lot of players who are new to playing with each other and several are new to the sport," Faix Bennett said. "My expectations have all ready been surpassed. We won our first game."
Goalie Jeorgia Ruegsegger, a sophomore out of Amador Valley, continued her rapid development in the water with seven saves after facing 17 shots.
"She played fantastic all weekend," Faix Bennett said of the goalie. "We took her out of a 'Learn to Swim' class, taught her to swim, taught her the eggbeater (kick), and taught her to be a goalie. She played the 2020-21 season in her first experience with water polo."
Las Positas will next face tough competition in the West Valley Invitational Sept. 15-17. Go Hawks!