Mirjam Swanson
GLENDALE -- The 20 members of the Crescenta Valley girls' water polo
team aren't hiding the fact that they're worked up about the 5;30 p.m.
CIF Southern Section Division III semifinal match against
Harvard-Westlake at L.A. Valley College.
"The girls are ready," the Falcon's fourth-year coach Peter Kim said.
"I'm sure they'll spend the first minute of the match calming themselves
down, but then they'll be all right."
Some nervousness can only be expected: This is match is huge.
Both squads are after a finals berth -- likely against premier power
Bell Gardens -- on Monday at the Belmont Plaza pool.
CV (28-2) is also set to prove that its 5-4 comeback win against the
Wolverines (18-6) on December 5 -- the first in program history -- had
nothing to do with luck, despite rumors to the contrary.
Harvard-Westlake, on the other hand, wants to prove that itsearly
season loss to CV was indeed a fluke.
"Since I joined the team [last summer], it's all the girls talked
about: Harvard-Westlake," first-year Assistant Coach Betsy Fox said.
"I've never seen them more intense than when they beat Harvard. It'll
hard to beat such a good team twice, but they can do it."
Against a strong Wolverine defense spearheaded by two-meter defender
Margaret Zepfel and goalkeeper Carolyn Kiefer, the Falcons' not only will
need their usual offensive weapons -- drivers Jessie Stiles (70 goals
this season) and Megan Winchell (55 goals) -- to be on, but they'll need
other players like Jamie Payne, Laura Claessens and Ilana Lopez to
contribute too.
It won't be a suprise if CV goalkeeper Amy Brunton continues stepping
up her play. The junior enters the match with 216 saves this season.
She'll be contending with the Wolverines' talented hole/set Courtney
Quinn.
