The Los Altos girls water polo team is having one of its best seasons in years as it strives to earn a CCS Open Division berth, building on last year’s breakout season.
Los Altos (14-5) has only one loss in league play and is on a six-game winning streak; Los Altos head coach Katie Tasman credits the team’s willingness to make mistakes and grow together, combined with a high commitment level.
“We’re fortunate to have many athletes who dedicate themselves to playing year-round and strive to compete at the collegiate level,” Tasman said in an email. “That commitment elevates the intensity and quality of our practices and it encourages everyone to hold themselves to that higher standard.”
The Eagles have relied on offensive powerhouse Sophia Boschken to lead the attack. Boschken, a senior, has scored approximately three goals a game and been the focal point of the offense, while Kylie Barkovich has been a force at center on offense and defense, drawing ejections to create opportunities. Defensively, Los Altos has relied on 2-meter defender Kylie Parman to shadow the opponents’ top players, while goalie Alison Han proved to be a difference-maker in close games thanks to big saves, Tasman said. Los Altos is a defense-focused team that creates opportunities on offense through counterattacks or in the half-court game. The team is a mix of experienced and new starters, with seniors Maria Selikhanovich and Annie Aliashvili and junior Ava Smith returning to provide experience and game sense while freshman starter Tessa Neilsen and sophomore Zoey Shan have taken advantage of opportunities.
Los Altos reached the CCS Division I finals last year as the No. 3 seed, falling to Leigh 9-8 in a close game and finishing second in league play with a 12-3 record, behind Palo Alto. Just two years ago, the team finished 2-18 overall and a distant seventh place in the league, with a combined 7-25 record overall in the two previous seasons. Tasman credits the turnaround to the growing number of players in the sport at the junior varsity level, which has helped build a stronger foundation for the program.
“Just as important are the athletes who have committed to playing year-round and continually pushing themselves to improve,” Tasman said. “This is not an easy sport and with the game constantly evolving, dedication and depth have been essential to our progress. It’s that combination of growth, hard work and love for the game that has allowed us to take significant steps forward these past few seasons.”
The team’s goal is to reach the CCS Open Division playoffs as one of the top eight teams in the section and finish first in league. Standing in its way is Palo Alto, which is undefeated in SCVAL De Anza Division play and the defending champions. Los Altos is 10-1 in league play, and its only league loss has been to undefeated Palo Alto. Los Altos travels to play Palo Alto Tuesday at 5:15 p.m.
“Our games against Palo Alto are always nail-biters and ones I really look forward to,” Tasman said. “We’re two of the strongest teams in the league and they’re a very well-rounded group that will make you pay for your mistakes. Although we didn’t come away with the win in our first matchup, we played a solid game and fell short defensively in the fourth quarter.”
