Saints & Stars Girls' Water Polo break through in fourth quarter against Naperville Central

The St. Charles girls' co-op water polo team found a late bright spot Friday night in Naperville, as Ari Barone scored in the fourth quarter to give St. Charles their goal in a 13-1 loss to Naperville Central. The finish came on an assist from Gianna Messina, a sequence that rewarded the Saints and Stars for continuing to push after facing a five-goal deficit entering the third quarter.

Messina also stood out on the defensive end with four steals, helping disrupt Naperville Central's attack and creating opportunities for St. Charles to reset. In goal, Isabela Silva turned in a strong effort with seven saves, battling through constant pressure and keeping St. Charles engaged throughout the match. Those defensive contributions were a key part of the team's effort, especially as the Redhawks generated chances across all four quarters.

St. Charles also saw attacking efforts from several players as Barone, Messina, Isla Tousignant, Grace Bellue, and Kaylee Waite all generated goal attempts. While the Saints and Stars were limited to one finish, the willingness to keep creating chances spoke to the group's resilience against a tough opponent on the road. Naperville Central's defense made clean looks difficult, but the Saints & Stars continued to search for openings and stayed active offensively.

The final score favored Naperville Central, 13-1, but the late connection between Messina and Barone offered a concrete highlight for St. Charles to carry forward. The Saints & Stars showed the kind of persistence that can build momentum as the season moves on.