The Spartan Girls Water Polo Team continued their blitz through season-opening tournaments this week, competing in the Texas Cup in the Dallas Area and securing a strong 5th place finish in the Gold Bracket. The team played two group games on Thursday with a group game and two placement games on Friday, followed by the final playoff game on Saturday morning.

vs. Tomball Memorial

Before the Spartans could focus on the weekend tournament, they had to journey to Tomball to face Tomball Memorial. Molly Kate Minyard opened the scoring halfway through the first quarter with a goal assisted by Elizabeth Conner. The pair hooked up again, this time with Minyard providing the assist, and the Spartans never looked back. Conner added two more goals, a scoring tally that was matched by Avery Garcia, Luisa Arreola, Emily Pace, and Jill Hyland. The win was a true team effort, with outstanding contributions from Paige Buri assisting on three goals and great defensive efforts by Sarah Beth Roady and Leah Claire Nall, both with amazing blocks and steals, and Abby Middlebrooks with outstanding effort in front of the goal to shut down a late Tomball scoring chance and close out the win.

Final – Stratford 12, Tomball Memorial 4

TEXAS CUP TOURNAMENT

vs. Denton Guyer

The Texas Cup started off with a significant challenge – a great Denton Guyer squad faced right after a long, early-morning trek to the tournament site. Amazing goalkeeping by Emmie Hanvey, including a key save of a penalty shot, and great goals by Conner (2), Minyard (1), Elle Burke (1), and Hanvey (1) herself as time ran out, weren’t enough to earn the win.

Final – Stratford 5, Denton Guyer 12

vs. Boerne Champion

Game 2 saw the Spartans in the pool against Boerne Champion – the girls bounced back and kept the game a nail-biter in the first half. Conner exploded for four goals in the first two quarters, and Burke and Hanvey (as time expired) found the back of the net to see the game tied 6-6 at the break. Boerne scored four unanswered in the third, and fourth quarter goals from Buri and Conner, paired with game-long stingy defense by the squad (with especially great plays by Pace and Nall) and aggressive shots that just wouldn’t connect (including a great couple of attempts from Audrey Bown) weren’t enough to close the gap.

Final – Stratford 8, Boerne Champion 10

vs. Flower Mound Marcus

The final group game against Marcus was a tough test against an exceptionally talented team. Hana Riley contributed the first goal, and Conner added another, but Marcus proved strong enough to overpower the solid Spartan defense and stand-out goal keeping by Hanvey.

Final – Stratford 2, Flower Mound Marcus 12

vs. Brandeis

The first placement game was an evenly matched contest against a strong Brandeis team that was a State Semifinalist last year. Hanvey in the goal and aggressive defense in the field kept the game within striking distance in the first half, but the Spartans couldn’t gain any ground in the second – two goals from Riley (one featuring a great pass from Piper Barrow to earn the assist) were matched by the Brandeis team in spite of notable defensive efforts from Conner and Arreola, and the Spartans fell in a close match.

Final – Stratford 2, Brandeis 5

vs. Austin Westlake

The Spartans came back ready to fight against Austin Westlake, with [STATIC NOISES] EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES RECEIVING PLAY-BY-PLAY INFORMATION FROM DALLAS. PLEASE STANDBY. [STATIC NOISES]…to secure the win. The final roster of goal scorers contributing to the amazing win included – Conner (8!), Bella Smith (1), Riley (1), Burke (1), Charlotte Moore (1), and Buri (1).

Final – Stratford 13, Austin Westlake 6

vs. Houston Lamar

The 5th Place game saw the Spartans facing off against local rival Houston Lamar. The team raced off to a 3-1 first-quarter lead behind goals from Conner (2) and Riley, while Hanvey kept Lamar from closing the gap with another great penalty save and several outstanding blocks. Hanvey added an assist and another end-of-half goal in the second, to go along with more goals from Conner (2) (with Smith providing a great assist) and Riley. Nall provided a great assist to Minyard to open scoring in the third, and Conner added two more to extend the lead to 10-5 heading into the final period. Lamar mounted a late charge to keep the game close, but Nall slammed the door with two goals in the final quarter to lock up fifth place. The game was a great way to end the Texas Cup, with selfless play (including wonderful assists by Hyland and Pace) and great hustle on display all around.

Final – Stratford 12, Houston Lamar 8

Next Up: The Spartans travel to the Strake Jesuit Pool for a matchup with St. Agnes on Tuesday (August 27th) and then wrap up Tournament Season at the CCISD Water Polo Tournament in League City and Friendswood, where they will mix it up with some of the area’s best teams in their final tune-up ahead of the regular season and District play. The Girls will play two games each day on Friday and Saturday.