Season Preview: Girls Water Polo Looking to Get Experience Early

By Steve Breazeale

Last Season: Finished third in the South Coast League and advanced to the second round of the CIF-SS playoffs.

Players to Watch: Madison Baba, Maia Borisoff and Blaire Borisoff.

Circle ‘em: The second match of the season will pit the Dolphins against Laguna Beach (12/3). League games include a tilt against San Clemente on the road (1/9) and a home match against El Toro (1/23).

Outlook:

The Dana Hills girls water polo team took a hit to graduation and will field only two seniors in 2014. With such a young roster, head coach Chad Beeler has front-loaded his team’s schedule in order to gain varsity experience quickly.

The Dolphins played an extensive offseason showcase schedule and will play in two tournaments in the span of nine days in order to prepare for South Coast League play.

“We’re just young and we need to get that experience in and hopefully we can get enough games in, which we plan to do, before season starts,” Beeler said. “It’s all about who is training harder right now.”

Senior Madison Baba was among the team’s the leading goal scorers last season, despite missing significant time with an injury. Baba returns as one of two seniors on the Dolphins roster.

Sophomore Maia Borisoff had a breakout freshman season that saw her score 29 goals. Despite being a sophomore, Beeler said Baba’s extensive role as a starter on last year’s team has prepared her to be a leader in 2014.

Senior Blaire Borisoff returns to play goalie.

Freshman Alex Peros and sophomore Sydney Baba will provide speed at the attacker position.

Season Schedule

Date                Opponent                                Location, Time

11/27                 Irvine/Warren                           TBA, TBA

12/3                   Laguna Beach                            DHHS, 4:15 p.m.

12/5-7               El Dorado Tourn.                      TBA, TBA

12/11                 ML King                                      ML King, 5 p.m.

12/12-14           Villa Park Tourn.                      Villa Park, TBA

1/4                     Warren                                       Fullerton College, 5 p.m.

1/9*                   San Clemente                            SCHS, 5:15 p.m.

1/11                    SMCHS Showcase                    SMCHS, 3:15 p.m.

1/14*                 Trabuco Hills                             THHS, 5:15 p.m.

1/17                   Huntington Beach                    HBHS, 4:30 p.m.

1/21*                 Laguna Hills                               DHHS, 4 p.m.

1/23*                 El Toro                                         DHHS, 4 p.m.

1/24-25           Coronado Tourn.                         Coronado, TBA

1/28*               San Clemente                              DHHS, 5:15 p.m.

1/31*               Trabuco Hills                                DHHS, 4 p.m.

2/10                 Pacifica                                          DHHS, 5 p.m.

2/11*               Laguna Hills                                LHHS, 5:15 p.m.

2/13*               El Toro                                         ETHS, 5:15 p.m.

*–denotes league game