The whistle blows as the Lady Rams race to get the ball and secure an early lead. The Girls Varsity Water Polo played a solid defense and effectively scored the ball, earning them a 4-1 record in the Rio Hondo League this year so far.
In the first league game against the San Marino Titans, the Rams were losing by one goal in the second quarter. However, the girls played aggressive defense in the second half and beat the Titans 12-9. In its next game, the team came out strong earning a second victory against the Monrovia Wildcats by a margin of eight goals.
Hungry for another win, the Rams clashed with the undefeated La Cañada Spartans. The game was tied 3-3 at halftime, but the team came out with high intensity in the second half, scoring three goals and beating the Spartans. However, the Rams suffered their first loss (8-16) to the South Pasadena Tigers last Thursday, but the team continues to train in order to beat the Tigers the next time they face off.
“If we don’t have a good start our coach gets us pumped up and we start playing with more intensity,” Junior Cloe Zeidan said. “We have to maintain a high level of play in our games in order to win.”
Last year, Girls Varsity Water Polo placed second in league and qualified for C.I.F., but the team was eliminated in the first round. Therefore, the Lady Rams have been working hard to ensure they get further in C.I.F. this year.
“Our main goal this year is to make it to the second round of C.I.F.,” Senior Sara De La Torre said. “We also want to be Rio Hondo League champions, so we can get a good spot in C.I.F.”
The Rams are faster this year, making them a more versatile team. Also, the team passes the ball quickly and efficiently causing problems for the opposition and allowing them to score the ball easily.
“Our passing opens up a lot of great opportunities to score,” De La Torre said. “When we play as a team, we pose a bigger threat.”
Some other contributors to the Rams’ success are team dinners, which usually occur before game days. The team dinners help the girls relax and bond outside of the pool, making them a stronger team when they play water polo.
“We had Ono and got ready to face La Cañada during our last team dinner,” Zeidan said. “The Hawaiian food we ate represents our team motto of ‘Ohana,’ which means family.”