9/26 – Andover: 9, Deerfield: 12
Boys Water Polo (3–1) fell 9–12 to Deerfield on Saturday after trailing by no more than two goals through the first three quarters. Co-Captain Victor Hillier ’28 said the team’s determination stood out, as players kept pushing to tie the game until the final minutes.
The game remained close from the beginning. Appen explained how Deerfield held a 4–3 lead after the first quarter, but neither team was able to pull away by more than two goals through the third quarter. Deerfield eventually separated itself in the fourth.
“It was pretty back-and-forth. There was never a lead bigger than two goals. It was a one-goal game going into the fourth quarter, and then we let it slip away,” said Appen.
Coming off a 3–0 start to the season and a win against Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter), the team entered the Deerfield game with high confidence. Henry Werner ’30 wondered if the team’s confidence may have affected the team’s performance on Saturday.
“We were coming off a huge win against Exeter, and our team was having a 3–0 undefeated season. Our team was overconfident and not as locked in as we should have been going into that game,” said Werner.
In physical matches, it can be tough to remain calm and focus on the game rather than letting emotions take over. According to Hillier, one of the biggest challenges was maintaining discipline and composure. He reflected how the team struggled with rushed decisions and became distracted by Deerfield’s attempts to get under the team’s skin.
“We started off a little bit panicky. Throughout the entire game, we were tossing the ball around and not always making smart plays,” said Hillier. “In the fourth quarter, we just weren’t disciplined. We were falling for their instigations, which impacted us.”
Despite the loss, the team had several standout performances. Hillier highlighted Andrew Cai ’27 and Lincoln Tomlinson ’27 for their work in the hole, where they battled for position in front of the net and drew additional defensive attention.
“They kept playing almost the entire game in that position, and they kept getting the position they needed, getting around their defenders, and forcing the other team to double-team them,” said Hillier.
Appen also praised Tomlinson’s defensive performance and his offensive contributions. He also highlighted Hillier, who contributed through scoring, defense, counterattacks, and outside shooting. One of the game’s biggest momentum-building moments came shortly before halftime, when Hillier scored from approximately half court as the clock was running down.
“It definitely gave us a boost. That was right before halftime, and then to start the third quarter, we came out with more energy. Obviously, we weren’t really able to keep that up, which wasn’t great, but that goal definitely gave the team some energy,” said Appen.
Despite the setback, the team has responded with increased focus in practice. Appen said that after the game, he and Hillier spoke with the team about using the loss as a reality check.
“From what I’ve seen in practice, we’ve responded well. Victor and I talked to the team after the game and told them that we hoped this would be a wake-up call. From what I’ve seen at practice today, it seems like everyone’s taking it more seriously and getting more dialed in. Hopefully, this motivates us for the rest of the season to have a really good season,” said Appen.
The team will play Williston Northampton (Williston) and Greenwich Country Day School (GCDS) away this Saturday.
