MSN_012419

28 | January 24, 2019 | Malibu surfside news sports
malibusurfsidenews.com
Athlete of the Week
Girls Water Polo
Team conjures inner strength
22nd Century Media File Photo
10 Questions
with Jenny Alvarez
Jenny Alvarez, 18, is a senior
who plays water polo.
What first got you
interested in water
polo?
My friend Carina and her
mom Nancy were like, “Hey,
Jenny, you should try this
out.” I did and I fell in love
with the sport immediately.
In what area would
you say you’ve most
improved from freshman
year until now?
My swimming. I’ve definitely
gotten faster since
freshman year.
Have you tried to
become more of a
leader this year?
Not really. I feel like
everyone on the team is a
leader in different ways.
We’ve become cheerleaders
this season. It’s great.
What do you like
about playing for coach
Hayden Goldberg?
I feel like he truly cares
about the success of each
and every player. He’s a
very genuine coach.
What are your hobbies
outside of polo?
Outside of polo I am a
peer leader at Our Lady of
Assumption in Ventura. I
also work at Drill Surf &
Skate. My boss is the coolest
Kiwi in town. Also, I
like watching “Chef’s Table”
with my dog Buster.
What is your favorite
place to eat in Malibu?
Malibu Farm Cafe.
What is your favorite
TV show?
“Parks and Recreation.”
Ron [Swanson] is my favorite.
What are your goals
for this season?
My goals for this season
are to just be able to make it
to CIF, but also to beat Villanova
and Foothill Tech.
What are your plans
for after graduation?
After high school I
would like to go to SMC
and transfer to either USC
or Loyola Marymount.
If you could have one
superpower what
would it be?
It would be the ability to
fly so I wouldn’t have to sit
in traffic.
Interview conducted by Freelance
Reporter Ryan Flynn.
Leib shines in
Oxnard Tournament
Ryan Flynn
Freelance Reporter
This Week In...
SHARKS ATHLETICS
Girls Water Polo
■Jan. ■ 24 - host Moorpark,
3:15 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 25 - at Villanova,
3:15 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 29 - host Cate,
3:15 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 31 - host Santa Paula,
3:15 p.m.
Girls Basketball
■Jan. ■ 24 - at Hueneme,
6 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 26 - at Nordhoff,
4:30 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 28 - host Nordhoff,
4:30 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 29 - host Fillmore,
6 p.m.
Despite a trying season,
the girls water polo team
remains Malibu Strong.
It is a phrase that coach
Hayden Goldberg invokes
often. This past weekend,
in the Oxnard Girls’
Varsity Tournament, the
team lost all four games
they competed in, three by
scores of nine-plus goals.
Goldberg said that he’s
trying not to harp on the
negatives with his squad.
“[We are] just making
sure we’re having fun,
we’re smiling,” he said.
“We were really affected
by Mother Nature this season
so [we’re] just staying
positive.”
Malibu’s closest game
of the tournament was a
1-0 nail-biter against Villanova
Prep. Goalie Rachel
Leib stood out in the
contest, as she did all tournament
long. The senior
has been a bright spot this
year. Her passing, talking
on defense and leadership
have all shone through,
Goldberg said.
“Overall, she really
shined to me,” Goldberg
said. “It looked like she
was on every game. She
was averaging anywhere
from seven to 11 blocks a
game. In the [Villanova]
game I thought she was
definitely an MVP candidate
for the game, for
sure.”
Villanova Prep is a
league opponent, so Malibu
will get one more crack
at them before season’s
end, on Jan. 25, in a road
contest.
Several players were
sick or injured this past
weekend, which allowed
Goldberg to call up some
junior varsity players to
see action at a higher level.
“It’s a little confidence
Girls Soccer
■Jan. ■ 25 - at Fillmore,
6 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 28 - host Hueneme,
6:30 p.m.
Boys Soccer
■Jan. ■ 25 - host Filmmore,
6:30 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 26 - at Nordhoff,
2:30 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 28 - at Hueneme,
5:30 p.m.
Boys Basketball
■Jan. ■ 25 - at Carpinteria,
7 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 28 - host Nordhoff,
7:30 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 30 - at Fillmore,
7 p.m.
boost for them, which will
help them get ready for
next year when they’ll be
varsity players,” Goldberg
said.
Despite having a losing
record for the first time
since 2014, the Sharks are
still alive for both a CIF
berth and a Top 3 finish
in league. They are 1-2
in league play at the moment
but have three league
games remaining, one of
which is a game slated for
earlier this year that had
to be rescheduled. The
hardships haven’t kept
this team down, Goldberg
said, and they’re putting
in 100 percent effort in
practice and on game day.
They’ve remained Malibu
Strong.
“I tell these girls, you’re
going to remember this.
Something is going to be
in your way down the line
and it’s going to be nothing
to you because of what you
went through this year,”
Goldberg said.
PEPPERDINE ATHLETICS
Women’s Basketball
■Jan. ■ 24 - at Saint Mary’s,
7 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 26 - at Pacific, 2 p.m.
Women’s Tennis
■Jan. ■ 26 - host ITA kick-off
weekend, 10 a.m.
Men’s Basketball
■Jan. ■ 26 - host Saint
Mary’s, 5 p.m.
Women’s Swimming and
Diving
■Jan. ■ 26 - host Air Force
and Cal Baptist, 11 a.m.
Men’s Volleyball
■Jan. ■ 27 - at UC Irvine, 5 p.m.
■Jan. ■ 30 - host CSUN, 7 p.m.