STANFORD, CA -- The SET BLACK 16U Girls water polo team is the crowded nation's best. On Sunday, July 24th, the No. 1 seed SET 16U Girls showed they are the best of all time, completing a perfect summer season by winning the 2022 USA Water Polo National Championship with an 11-6 victory over third-ranked San Diego Shores at Avery Aquatics Center.
This is SET's sixth 16U Girls JO title, previously winning in 1994, 2013, 2014, 2018, and 2019. It is SET's 13th national championship on record since the club's founding in 1990. 
The SET offense was led by center Sofia Umeda who racked up a hat trick, three goals, and an earned exclusion. SET scoring was rounded off by Hannah McClaskey (2), Kara Carver (2), Michelle Urkov (2), Emmy Hensley (1), and Presley Jones (1). Kamryn Barone found her teammates and finished the game with two assists and two earned ejections. Allison Cohen got into the mix with one assist and two earned ejections. Kate Sloman and Hadley Harbilas rounded out the starting group and finished with one assist and one earned ejection, and two shot attempts, respectively.
SET's defense was stellar all afternoon. Led by goalkeeper Sophia Bunnell with eleven blocks and five steals in the championship. Bunnell, the 2022 National Tournament Most Outstanding Player, was stifling and shutting down the SD Shores offense much of the day. Kara Carver was a defensive force with two steals, and Hannah McClaskey and Emmy Hensley each had one steal a piece. Michelle Urkov and Presley Jones each came away with a defensive shot block.
The Championship game was a story of a two-sided attack. SET would convert 11 of 25 shots for a 44% shooting percentage while holding SD Shore to 6 of 27 or 22% scoring.
The celebration was memorable for head coach Ally Beck, who has been at the helm of SET 16U Girls for two seasons. This championship is a tale of redemption and finishing what you start. This victory is for all the current and past athletes, especially the prior team 2021 second-place finishers, that are dedicated to being their best. It is icing on the cake as Beck retires from coaching to pursue sports management and consulting.
Post-season accolades did not stop, with 5 SET athletes being named all-tournament:
Sophia Bunnell - Tournament MVP
Sofia Umeda - First Team
Emerson Hensley - First Team
Michelle Urkov - Second Team
Hadley Harbilas - Second Team
ROSTER:
#1 - Sophia Bunnell
#2 - Hannah McClaskey
#3 - Emerson (Emmy) Hensley
#4 - Mia Sullivan
#5 - Kara Carver
#6 - Charli Krotts
#7 - Hadley Harbilas
#8 - Kate Sloman
#9 - Hollis Munchoff
#10 - Michelle Urkov
#11 - Allison Cohen
#12 - Claire Turner
#13 - Sofia Umeda
#14 - Presley Jones
#15 - Kamryn Barone
#16 - Reece Robb
#1A - Lauren Steele
Head Coach - Ally Beck
Asst. Coaches - Jacob Pril, Libby Alexander, Claire Sonne, Taylor Adair
Images by Aaron Sullivan and KLC Fotos
Saddleback El Toro (SET) Water Polo was founded in 1990 by Coach Don Stoll, the highest decorated water polo coach in CIF and High School Water Polo history. Prior to the surge of the national club water polo movement and the year-round water polo athlete, SET Water Polo was established by Coach Stoll as summer training program for his high school athletes. The SET summer training program played a vital role in the development of the Club’s athletes leading Coach Stoll to 684 career wins, 23 League Championship titles and 7 CIF Championship titles.
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time Olympic Gold Medalist in swimming, Coach Schumacher’s philosophy of developing athletes with sound fundamentals governed the continuous evolution of the Club. Armed with 75 athletes, SET Water Polo exploded onto the National Level in the Summer of 2005 with SET’s 18U girls taking the Silver Medal in the 2005 National Junior Olympics and again taking the
SET has swelled from 25 athletes to over 200 year-round athletes and in doing so has earned multiple National titles, was honored with USA Water Polo’s Chairman’s Cup in 2008 and in 2012 produced its first Olympic Gold Medalist, Annika Dries in Women’s Water Polo. As an 
ambassador of the sport, SET reached out to the community and established a Junior Water Polo Program 2008. SET’s Junior Water Polo Program introduces the sport of water polo to new athletes, ages 6-14, of varying ability and swimming proficiency by developing the fundamental skills and tactics of the game. 
SET Water Polo is a fundamentally sound, student-athlete centered club that continuously strives to do what’s best for each individual athlete, priding it self on not being a win at all cost club. SET’s true success is not based on the accolades of its current athletes, but rather on the success each athlete yields after graduating from the Club and moving forward to college and beyond. Over 2,000 athletes have passed through the waters of SET Water Polo, producing NCAA Champions, Junior National Team Members, National Team Members and Olympic Athletes. To date, SET has secured in excess of 10 million dollars in scholarships for its athletes, which can be viewed on the 
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Bradley Schumacher
Ethan Damato
Ally Beck, MCAA
Justin Johnson
Katie Teets
Taylor Adair
OJ Vasquez
Nick Farrell.jpg)
Allie Gaetano
Austin Hoff
Sam Gallo
