Splashing into their season, the Girl’s Water Polo team faced off against Cedar Ridge in their first district game of the year on Friday, Aug. 29 at the RRISD Aquatic Center. Despite their eventual 3-4 loss, the Lady Warriors stayed strong in a tense situation and left with heads held high.

While the team has faced Cedar Ridge previously, they did not expect an easy victory. The Raiders came out of the gate as a formidable challenger, keeping a slight upper hand over the Warrior’s defensive strategies throughout the first half of the game. Momentum was high as the Raiders began to advance, both the team and their spectators synchronous in their title-hungry chants.

“We knew Cedar Ridge was going to be tougher than they had been, and the nerves [might have] affected our play,” Sara Horsey ‘27 said.

Throughout the match, Westwood and Cedar Ridge were neck to neck as the scoreboard lit up on both sides. However, during the second quarter of the game, Rouzhen Ma ‘29, a key asset to Westwood’s offense, had to vacate the match due to a leg cramp. Not only did this affect the team’s dynamic, it also dampened team optimism. Despite the circumstances, the Warriors continued to battle, trying to stay locked in the game.

“I believe this game was not an accurate representation of our skill,” Horsey said. “I reckon we’re going to work [much harder], dig our teeth in, and kick some butt.”

Although the Warriors exerted a great amount of effort, the opposing Cedar Ridge remained dominant in their offense, eventually overtaking the Warriors and striking two goals within the third quarter. With a dry fourth quarter, the Raiders took home the win with a final score of 3-4.

“Hopefully [the rest of the season] will be better than today,” Prajna Parajuli ‘26 said. “I think we can win all of our games. Today, it was our [lack of] defense.”

The Warriors look forward to making a bigger splash in their upcoming match on Tuesday, Sept. 2 against the Round Rock Dragons at the Round Rock Aquatic Center.