Following a nail-biting, 10-9 victory over Crescenta Valley in the first round CIF quarter finals, the girls water polo team hosted Villa Park for round 2. The pool deck was flowing with spectators who cheered them onto a dominant victory. Shot after shot, from various players of the Poly team, the ball bypassed the defenders and into the net. On the defensive end, the Panthers also shined with Poly’s field players quickly overturning the ball and senior goalie Georgie Collister blocking practically every shot. Especially in the second half, the game was marked by successive, back-to-back scoring paired with relentless defensive pressure, ending the match with a 9-1 Poly victory.
This season, the girls water polo team, coached by Missy McCreary, focused on commanding the energy during their games. Instead of passivity, they looked into what it meant to be the aggressor. Through bringing in a sports psychologist, they learned how to bring high energy at the start of games and to have patience when they play. Junior field player Samatha Golden says, “[in the past], there have been many instances where we would rush the offense when we have so much more time to make better things happen.” After making these changes, the team was able to find greater success and grew even closer as a unit.
Finishing second in the Prep league, the Panthers ended the season with a 10-5 record. Surprisingly, they accomplished this with an eleven-man team composed of some completely new water polo players. Golden commented on how the team was able to find success despite the amount of beginner players the team has: “They have an incredible drive to learn and continue to grow at the sport, and at every practice this was amazing motivation for not only them but also for the rest of the team.” The team’s range of experience was a cornerstone of who they were this year. Both the environment of diligence and tight-knit camaraderie promoted by the newer members of the team laid the ground-work for this year’s girls water polo team’s high performance.
In their quarterfinal round of Division 3 CIF, the Panthers lost a close match to Chaparral 12-11, nearly coming back after trailing 5-1 in the first quarter. In the second quarter alone, they closed up the score gap to 5-6. Despite the loss, the team showed immense grit and sportsmanship throughout the game. Collister reflects on their last game saying, “The final score was 12-11, and I think it really showcased how much we fought for our team.” Marked by cohesion, camaraderie and care for one another, the girls water polo team ended with an admirable and fun season behind them.
