The Willow Glen Resident Photograph by Skye Dunlap Sure Shot: Willow Glen's Nazanine Mousavi, working the ball against Live Oak, scored the game-winning goal for the Rams in the finals of the Valley Christian water polo tournament. Mousavi's goal lifts Rams Willow Glen girls win polo title By Dick Sparrer Nazanine Mousavi scored just one goal in girls' water polo action against Lincoln. But the Willow Glen senior couldn't have picked a better time for it. Mousavi's goal in sudden-death overtime clinched a 6-5 win for the Rams in the finals of the Valley Christian tournament. The thrilling victory was the fourth straight win for the Rams at the tourney. Willow Glen had defeated Clovis, Pioneer and Independence to get into the finals, then pulled out the thrilling win over the Lions. Mousavi was joined by juniors Whitney Gregg and Allison Woodside on the all-tournament team after impressive performances for the Rams. Gregg had pitched in four goals in an 8-6 win over Pioneer earlier in the tourney. Kristan Livak added two goals, and Tracy Harding and Alecia Barreto also scored. Harding, K. Livak and Courtney Livak had two goals each, and Mousavi, Gregg and Woodside each scored in a 9-4 win over Clovis early in the event. The four wins, coupled with nonleague victories over Mountain View and Pioneer, helped the Rams jump out to a quick 6-3 start in the season--which pleases head coach Scott Kaubish, especially with a young club. Mousavi is a solid senior player for the Rams. "She's a good defensive player, and a sure shot, too," the coach said. But the rest of the Willow Glen starters are underclassmen, including a pair of freshman. "[Alecia Barreto and Courtney Livak] are freshmen starters," Kaubish said. "You're going to hear a lot about these two. They are doing just an incredible job as freshmen." Gregg, Woodside and K. Livak are all junior starters. "[Gregg] has a lot of untapped potential," Kaubish said. "She's very strong." Woodside is the Willow Glen goalie, "but she can do anything. She's playing goalie because she has an awesome ability to cover the cage." The coach added that K. Livak "is the one real shining star on the team. She's a very level-headed player, and for a young team that's very important. She is impossible to penetrate on defense, and on offense she's committed to looking for the open person. She sets things up for other people to score." Harding, senior Elizabeth Travis and sophomore Kara Buchanan are other key players for the Rams, and Jessica Parisi, Meredith Carroll, Becca Sparling and Quinlyn Cowsert round out the squad. Willow Glen lost to Notre Dame-Belmont and Mt. Pleasant early in the year before beating Mountain View and Pioneer. Mousavi and K. Livak drilled two goals apiece and Gregg, C. Livak, Barreto, Harding and Woodside also added goals in the 9-5 win over the Mustangs. Willow Glen slipped to 6-3 for the year with an 11-6 loss to Live Oak last week. C. Livak bombed four goals and Gregg added two in the game. [ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Willow Glen Resident, October 21, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.