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"We played some of the bigger teams, the top teams, very early in the season in our own tournament and weren't, to be honest, competitive," admitted head coach Misha Buchel, whose roster was stocked with freshmen and sophomores.
For the youthful Dons (17-10), the key to their rise was finding stability in the middle of the pool. Buchel described junior goalie Ella Maisano and junior central defender Bella Wentzel as the team's defensive anchors.
"Our defense became better and our transition game became better," Buchel explained. "So, those were the two main areas that allowed us to improve as the season went on."
For Acalanes, who topped Piedmont, Justin-Siena and Livermore on the path to the NCS championship showdown with Drake, sophomore Lexi Rowell and freshman Brooke Westphal were responsible for the majority of the damage on the offensive end.
"Those are kind of our four most indispensable players," Buchel said of the quartet of Maisano, Wentzel, Rowell and Westphal.
Playing in the NCS D1 bracket, the No. 2 seed Mats lost 8-7 to San Ramon Valley in the championship game hosted at Acalanes on Nov. 12.
"We just lost a barn-burner to the defending champions San Ramon Valley," said head coach Noel Murphy, whose team finished with a 22-6 record. "It was a great game by the Lady Mats, but we win graciously and we lose graciously. Great sportsmanship by my girls this year and (against San Ramon Valley)."
In the defeat to the top-seed San Ramon Valley, the junior Kelly Murphy poured in five goals, while juniors Grace Tehaney and Skylar Savar both chipped in a goal apiece.
"This is another 20-win season that this program has had back-to-back now," said Murphy, who praised co-coach John Felix and the rest of the coaching staff for helping the Mats win a second consecutive league crown. "It's exciting to see. The girls are buying into team unity."
The Mats advanced to the title game by beating Freedom and Amador Valley in the opening rounds and then topping Campolindo 8-2 in the semifinals on No. 9 in Orinda.
Against the Cougars, sophomore goalie Savannah Sherwood saved 83 percent of the shots on goal, Murphy, Tehaney, Savar and junior Katrina Drake all got on the score sheet, while junior Carson Broad had three assists and two steals.
"We put together a lot of great water polo to earn a top seed for NCS," said Campolindo head coach Kim Everist.
The Cougars (20-7) grabbed the No. 3 seed in the D1 bracket thanks to a third-place finish at the NorCal Invitational and a strong run at the conclusion of the DAL schedule.
"Playing in the semifinals of NCS was always a goal," Everist said. "This team has a lot of determination and desire and I've been very proud of them."
Before bowing out against the Mats, Campolindo cruised past Liberty in the first round, 22-2, and made quick work of Washinton, 20-2, in the quarterfinals.
"All in was our team motto this season," Everist said. "And, every player on this team was just that. From the classroom, to the weight room, to the deck, to the pool, they were all in."
While the Cougars leaned on the entire roster on the road to the NCS semifinals, Everist singled out the contributions of the team's senior contingent.
"I will sign off with my seniors," Everist said. "Becca Buck, Kiera Crandall, Carlie Crumbaugh, Kari Jensen, Olivia Price and Morgan Scanlon. (I) love these amazing leaders (and) they will be dearly missed."
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA