Members of the Rams water polo team cheer after winning the game against Hudsonville. Photo by PATRICK KEELEY
Loses to AA Pioneer at invitational
by PATRICK KEELEY
The Rams water polo team met Hudsonville at home on Thursday, April 16, in their first meeting since last year in the MWPA final game for the state title, and the fans were screaming for all 24 minutes.
Rockford started the scoring and led 2-0 after the first quarter, but Hudsonville came through with two goals to tie and then scored with only seconds to go in the first half to take a 3-2 halftime lead. Rockford came back with goal in the third, and it was all tied up going into the fourth, 3-3. Then the Rams scored and led 4-3, and it looked like a Ram victory. However, with less than 10 seconds on the clock, Hudsonville got a kick-out and tied it up.
As Rockford rushed in to try one last shot, an excited Eagle defender committed a foul and gave Rockford a six-on-five with 3.86 seconds left. Molly Wooldridge sent in the winner with no time left.
The 5-4 victory over Hudsonville gave Rockford the lead in conference play and guarantees Rockford a share of the league crown.
Rockford then went to the Jenison invitational on Friday and Saturday, April 17-18, and beat Grand Haven, East Kentwood and Hudsonville to get into the championship game against Ann Arbor Pioneer. But the Rams’ dreams for an upset were quickly erased, as Pioneer dominated from start to finish, although Rockford managed to get two goals. The final score was 2-10.
The Rams are playing eight games this week, including games in Illinois against the top ranked teams in Chicago.
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