JV and Varsity girls Water Polo players faced off against the Hillsboro Spartans at home last night at the Tigard Swim Center, where they showed fans they could finish just as strong as they started, with the team winning 17-3. The game started at 5:00, lasting until 5:45, but to the fans, the game seemed to fly by.

By the end of the first quarter, the Tigers had a 3-0 lead on the Spartans, with varsity player Kayla Wagenhofer scoring two out of the three goals.  Other players who stood out included team captain Liz Irving, and varsity player Avery Branen. Lead stealer Emily Pfeiffer was doing just that, which helped out the team immensely.

“They dominated. Really good communication,” Tigard senior and fan Vanessa Tran commented about the team. With the way things were going, it seemed inevitable that the Tigers would  defeat Hillsboro, with the score being 10-0 at the end of the second quarter, Tigard leading.

“To work together with the team well, because you can have great individual players, but when everyone works together and there is communication, then the team does great,” said varsity player Taylor Roth on the team’s strategies for the game, which is exactly what they did.

 On the other hand, the Spartans came on strong in the third quarter, adding two points to the scoreboard on their behalf. One of those goals was made by their goalie, who threw it clear across the pool and scored! But they just couldn’t catch up to the Tigers, only scoring once more in the final quarter, making the final score 17-3.

 But the excitement wasn’t over just yet. This game was no ordinary game, as the seniors received a heartfelt goodbye from the team and coach.  This year’s seniors include Emily Pfeiffer, Clara Dunklee, Michael Joseph, and Elliott Branen.  “I will miss the people, but they will do great,” said senior Clara Dunklee about  her last year on the team.

All in all the game was a huge success for the Tigers, and the players and coaches couldn’t have been happier about it.  Head Coach John Ruzicka commented, “It was kind of an easy day. The girls played well. Almost all of the girls scored and it was an easy win for us.” Not only was it an easy win, but a well-deserved one for Tigard players, who will remember this game for a long time to come.