There was a match earlier in the Malibu High School (MHS) girls water polo team’s season that Gaia Hinds said she had a chance to score on a penalty shot, but faltered.
The 10th-grader remedied herself in a big way last Saturday. Hinds ended a fourth-period Sharks’ scoring drought by hitting a penalty shot with 2:30 left in the MHS CIF Division VII quarterfinal game against The Webb Schools. Hinds’ goal pulled MHS within one score of the visiting Gauls.
The Sharks went on to win the contest, 11-10, in extra quarters.
Hinds said while facing down the Gauls goalkeeper, she tried not to “over think” the shot.
“Anytime I have taken a penalty shot and I think I am going to shoot in a certain spot, I have always missed,” she said. “So, I just cleared my mind, and shot when I heard the whistle.”
Hinds’ score before the end of regulation and goal in the extra periods, coupled with teammate Alex Mora’s six scores, including one that sent the game into overtime, and a key block by Sharks goal keeper Gabi Cano, propelled Malibu to a CIF semifinals match against Hillcrest, the top-ranked team in Division VII, at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.
The 20-8 Sharks are one of four teams left vying for the Division VII championship. Defending champion and Tri-Valley League opponent Foothill Tech will play San Dimas in the other semifinal game.
Malibu coach Hayden Goldberg said his team is ready to compete in the water polo final four.
“I am proud of these girls because they are doing everything right at the right time,” he said.
Hinds said she is nervous, but confident.
“You have those butterflies in your stomach going in, but I think we can do it,” she said.
Against the Gauls, freshman Mora scored three times to give the Sharks a 3-2 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Malibu’s Annie Armitage scored at the 4:40 mark in the second quarter to put Malibu up 4-3 before The Webb Schools scored two straight goals to take the lead. With 2:03 left before halftime, Hinds scored a striking goal to tie the game. Mora scored again after a timeout to give Malibu a 6-5 lead at halftime.
The Webb Schools scored two consecutive goals after the break to take the lead. Mora tied the game with a hard toss that sent the ball zooming past The Webb Schools’ goalie. Webb Schools scored twice in a row again to take a 9-7 lead in the fourth quarter.
After a timeout, Hinds hit the penalty shot, and then a minute later, Mora took a pass from Armitage and scored before The Webb Schools could set their defense. The goal sent the game into overtime.
Hinds scored on Malibu’s second possession in the fifth period to give the Sharks a 10-9 lead. The Gauls tied the score in the sixth period before Mora scored again. Cano’s block of The Webb Schools’ shot with 10 seconds left sealed the MHS victory.
Goldberg said the Sharks have played well in crunch-time situations all season.
“They have been very adult in situations in close games, whether we have been down or needed a play to tie a game,” the coach said.
Hinds said when she and her teammates were trailing the Gauls, they focused on playing defense and scoring one goal at a time. She said during one timeout, Goldberg told the Sharks to do what they do in practice every day.
“’Try your best, try your best,’” Hinds said. “That is what he tells us all the time. Have fun with it and score.”
Malibu opened the playoffs on Feb. 16 with a 13-6 win over Bolsa Grande and defeated Ontario, 7-6, two days later.
Malibu finished the regular season with a 10-2 record in the Tri-Valley League. The losses came at the hands of Foothill Tech.
Goldberg said if the Sharks play at their best, they can beat anyone.
“I have some tough cookies,” he said. “I can yell my brains out, but they got to get it done in the water, and they are.”
