JV boys’ water polo (2-6) lost to University High 6-15 on Oct. 18 in the Black-Out Game of the Month. This is the team’s second loss against the Trojans and the last home game of the season with new head coach Kate Avery.

“Last year’s coach [Brendan Barrow] stopped playing for a few years, but [Avery] just came off from college, which is helping her think of new styles of playing from last year and changes we need to make,” point and sophomore John Hong said.

Center and sophomore John Gunay tapped the ball into the goal, bringing the score to 1-1 in the first five minutes of the game. Even though the Trojans had many fast breaks to the goal, keeper and sophomore Leonardo Pena blocked many aerial shots, earning cheers from students in black attire.

“We already played [them]. We know what they can do, and we just need to go out there and play our best game. These are the things we focused on,” Avery said. “If we can leave the water and say, ‘Okay, we did the best we possibly could,’ it’s enough for me.”

Before being shut down by a University defender, flat and sophomore Taira Asakura scored a straight shot from the five-meter line in the third quarter. The last goal of the game was scored by wing and sophomore Jacob Kim after he swam it close to the goal, shot and gained his team the sixth and final goal of the night.

“As long as you’re able to make sure people are doing their warm ups and making sure people are ready to practice, you’re doing your job as captain. At the end of the day, it’s more about the relationship you have with your team,” JV captain and sophomore Alex Cherry said.

This fall, water polo season was also a transition for the coaches as much as it was for the returning water polo players.

“I am so used to players who already have been playing for years, so going back to the basics was almost a culture shock…We need to talk about how to throw, how to egg beater still and swimming with our head up [while] knowing where the ball is,” Avery said. “It’s the basic things like that, so it was difficult in terms of adjustment for me, but it’s been a lot of fun.”