The girls water polo team finished the regular season with a 17-11 record and won the Mission League Championship on Jan. 29 against Notre Dame High School. The team also won their first game 12-7 in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section Divison I Playoffs against Rancho Cucamonga School at the Upper School on Feb. 6. The team finished the regular season on a strong note despite the departure of four seniors last season.

Team Captain Lilah Mitchell ’25 said it has been difficult being the only upperclassman, but she continues to stay positive and cheer up her teammates whenever they are having a hard time.

“Being the only senior with 16 underclassmen has been difficult,” Mitchell said. “It can feel overwhelming at times without the support of other upperclassmen who would share the responsibility of leadership. However, I always try to stay positive and lead by example. If we are struggling in practice or a game, [I let] them know I share their experience and that we can all get through it together.”

Mitchell said she wants to enjoy her last games before she graduates.

“I am going to focus on making the most of my last few practices and games before I stop playing water polo,” Mitchell said. “I loved getting to know the freshmen this year and seeing the potential the team has.”

Attacker Darya Ghassemieh ’27 said she enjoyed making memories with her teammates during the SOCAL Champs Tournament in Irvine.

“My favorite memory from the season was a few weeks ago when we had a tournament in Irvine, and we stayed overnight,” Ghassemieh said. “It was really fun because we got to room with our friends, hang out at the hotel and have team dinners. It was just a really great bonding experience for everyone on the team.”

Program Head Laura Lopez said she is excited to see how the team will grow in the future.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing all these freshmen and sophomores develop,” Lopez said. “We only lose one girl next year, and our team is gaining a few freshmen. So, we’re just a young team, and it’s really exciting to see their development and how they’re going to be [with] a year or two of high school under their belt.”

The team will go against Laguna Beach High School at the Upper School on Feb. 12.