After asserting victory against multiple schools, the Diamond Bar High School girls water polo team has claimed their spot in CIF. Their current overall record is 6-12 and their league record is 2-4.
To wrap up their regular season, girls water polo suffered a nail-biting 10-11 loss to Don Lugo on senior night. However, throughout the season, the team has not let losses define them. Earlier in the season, the Brahmas lost respectively to Rowland and Walnut. Motivated by these defeats, they built their way back up to earn their spot in the CIF playoffs.
“Losing a game can be tough sometimes and often disappointing,” senior left-wing Martina Carvajal said. “On the contrary, the feeling of losing makes me appreciate the taste of victory even more. It’s important to remember that the effort put in is much greater than whatever the outcome of a game is.”
Although the girls faced adversity this season, they continued to fight towards an exhilarating 7-5 win against cross-town rivals Walnut and a 14-3 victory against Wilson. The team’s hard work and determination placed them third in the league, and secured them a spot in the CIF playoffs. They continue to train and improve on weaknesses in hopes of making a deep run in postseason play.
“I want to work on my passes because being able to give my teammate a good pass gives them a better chance of scoring,” senior captain left-driver Asamiko Khowdee said. “Good passing also helps to make plays run smoother.”
According to Khowdee, a common challenge for the team is communication. As one of the team captains, she has made it her goal to become more aware of what is going on around her, especially when passing the ball to her teammates.
“Season has been so much fun this year,” Khowdee said. “It has been an adjustment from last season because we have a new coach. However, thanks to him, I have been able to expand my knowledge on water polo.”
The girls are excited to end the season strong. Their first CIF game was held Feb. 6 against Chaparral High School.