Paly girl’s water polo fell to Castilleja in a tough loss at home Tuesday night, losing 15-3. 

Castilleja opened strong and built a lead in the first quarter as they shut out the Vikes and netted four goals of their own.

Heading into the second quarter, Castilleja extended their lead with another quick goal off a counter-attack. Throughout the night, Paly struggled with their high-tempo offensive strategy.

Mary Henderson (‘24) played a remarkable game with countless strong saves at goalie. She not only bailed out defensive breakdowns on a number of occasions, but also retained a strong mentality throughout the game. Despite the goals scored on her, she managed to keep smiling and laughing for the entirety of the game. 

Henderson’s optimism helped Paly secure three goals on the attacking end, consisting of two five-meter penalties from senior Julia Ragno and a stunning outside shot by Yasmin Friedrichowitz (‘23).

Although Castilleja’s offense was too strong for the Vikings to overcome, they put up a strong fight against the reigning league champions. 

“It was definitely a tough loss for our first game, but I think our offense improved a lot,” Ragno said.

The Vikes are looking to get their first win of the season in their next game against Homestead, played at home on Thursday.