9.24.22 – The Menlo girls’ water polo team wrapped up a strong weekend of play in the Amanda MacDonald Invitational with the Knights’ first trip to the tournament championship since 2006,
The Knights (10-4) went 3-1, falling only to NorCal power Acalanes 11-5 on Saturday. In the final, the Dons took a 5-0 first-quarter lead before Menlo senior Erica Fenyo fired a shot from past mid-pool into the net to open the second quarter. Junior Kenya Cassidy added another goal midway through the second to narrow the Dons’ lead 5-2. Acalanes extended the lead to 8-2 by the half. Menlo would score three unanswered goals in a late third-quarter flurry when Sofia Flierl powered in a goal with 2:35 left in the third. Cassidy then scored twice less than a minute apart, Nyka Sharma and the Knights defense held and Acalanes led 9-5 but couldn’t pull closer..
Dons freshman Ella del Rosario had a hat trick to lead six Acalanes scorers. Acalanes won its fourth MacDonald title since the tournament began in 1995. Menlo made its 10th appearance in a championshipFenyo finished with 14 goals, three assists and 2 steals. Cassidy posted nine goals, seven assists and three steals. Nyla Sharma posted 18 saves. Flierl tallied 11 steals, six goals and five assists while Malia Chavinson had six goals, four assists. Scarlett Gamble added six assists, four goals and four steals.

Complete 2022 Amanda MacDonald results

Final
Acalanes 10, Menlo 5
Goals – M: Kenya Cassidy 3, Erica Fenyo, Sofia Flierl. Assists – M: Fenyo, Kate Ward, Scarlett Gamble, Kate Hirsch. Saves – M: Nyla Sharma 5.

Semifinal
Menlo 10, Archie Williams 5
Goals – M: Fenyo 6, Chavinson 2, Cassidy, Flierl. Assists – Chavinson 3, Cassidy 2, Gamble 2, Ward, Flierl. Saves – M: Sharma 7.

Day 1
Menlo 15, Burtlingame 6
Goals – M: Fenyo 4, Cassidy 3, Gamble 3, Chavinson 2, Flierl, Ward, Hirsch. Assists – Fenyo 2, Cassidy 2, Flierl, Chavinson, Gamble. Saves – M: Sharma 5.

Menlo 16, Carlmont 10
Goals – M: Alicia Jain 3, Flierl 3, Fenyo 3, Cassidy 2, Chavinson 2, Ward, Hirsch, Gamble, Assists – M: Flierl 3, Cassidy 2, Gamble 2, Jain, Annika Porteous, Fenyo. Saves – Sharma.