Malibu High girls water polo squad advances to quarterfinals for second consecutive year
The Malibu High girls water polo team advanced to the third round of the CIF playoffs for the second consecutive season.
The Sharks faced San Dimas in the quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Girls Water Polo Division 4 Championships on Wednesday, Feb 12. The winner advanced to a semifinal matchup between the winner of Beaumont and Ayala on Feb. 18. The title game is scheduled for Feb. 22 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.
Malibu’s swim to the quarterfinals began with an 8-7 victory over Yorba Linda in the opening round of the postseason on Feb. 4. The Sharks downed Louisville 11-6 three days later in the second round. Malibu also beat Louisville in the second round of the playoffs in 2024.
Sharks head coach Hayden Goldberg said Ceylon Zappa, Tallula Murphree, and Olivia Wild-Mullarkey led Malibu in their first two playoff wins, and goalkeeper Neko Kincaid “was a wall in the goal.”
“The girls are locked in and the key is defense,” he said. “We have great defensive structure.” Goldberg said Malibu, champs of the Tri-Valley League, are playing at their highest level.
“The girls know each other and trust their movements and the capabilities of each other in the games,” he said.