By Rick Assad
It took just one poor quarter by the Burbank High girls’ water polo team to let visiting Muir back into the match on Tuesday afternoon.
Ahead by two points heading to the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs slipped and were outscored 5-2 and fell 7-6 in a Pacific League battle at the Burroughs pool.
Six players scored one goal each for Burbank including goaltender Angela Khachikyan with 11 seconds in the match from 12 yards that cut the lead to one.
There simply wasn’t enough time to tie the score as the Mustangs ran out the clock.
“Our goalie had one of the best games ever today on offense and defense,” Burbank coach Hayk Minasyan said. “She took control of the defense in this game. She also excelled in a play specifically made for her and scored a goal. As always she delivered and I’m very proud of her and the team.”
Muir, which didn’t have a girls’ or boys’ water polo team since the early 2000s, saw the girls’ squad come off a win over longtime power Crescenta Valley, and under third-year coach Micol Issa, the Mustangs (14-2 and 2-0 in league) are definitely going in the right direction.
Here’s the evidence: One season ago, the Muir girls’ squad lost in the CIF Southern Section Division V playoffs opening round and last year the Muir boys’ fell in the Division IV first round, but in 2022 the boys’ captured a CIF banner.
Isabella Leyva accounted for a match-high five goals for the Mustangs including three tallies that were scored in the fourth period.
“Isabella is a senior and had been a major part of rebuilding the Muir program,” Issa said. “She loves water polo, studies a lot and is one of our captains. She wants to see our team go further in the playoffs this year.”
Leyva’s goal from seven yards and 6:32 left in the fourth period narrowed the lead to 4-3 and Leyva’s nine-yard strike with 3:44 on the clock handed the Mustangs a 5-4 lead.
When Leyva scored on a five-yard toss and 1:52 remaining in the period, Muir stretched its lead to 7-5.
Jasmine Collins also added a tally for the Mustangs from seven yards and 5:06 left that evened it at 4-4.
A seven-yard shot from Muir’s Maya Mihalko and 3:17 on the clock extended the Mustangs cushion to 6-4.
Not to be overlooked in this dramatic victory is Muir goalie, Vivienne Wood.
“She just started playing last year,” Issa noted. “She loved her experience with Muir last season so much that she joined Rose Bowl Aquatics and has been a dedicated water polo player. She is the other captain and does a great job encouraging everyone on the team to do their best. She’s not easily shaken.”
Burbank’s Khloe Aghakhani knocked in a 12-yard throw with 3:00 remaining that saw the Bulldogs (5-0 and 2-1 in league) trim the deficit to 6-5.
The third period witnessed the Bulldogs tally one goal as Melanie Hayrapetian found the net from 10 yards and 2:42 left that made it 4-2 in favor of the home team.
“In the ending half of the third quarter we had one of our best defenders, Natalie [Bislamyan] rolled which threw off our game in the fourth and we couldn’t catch a break so I had to use up my time outs so our players can rest,” Minasyan explained.
Minasyan then added: “The other three quarters the girls excelled in their defense while getting passes to Lizzie [Bislamyan] in set to finish a couple of shots,” he pointed out. “The girls were coming back on defense and helping Natalie until she got rolled.”
Leyva came out red hot in the first period as she accounted for two goals and a 2-1 lead for the Mustangs.
When Leyva scored on a five-yard heave with 6:48 left it was 1-0 and Leyva’s seven-yard strike and 2:38 on the ticker extended the lead to 2-1.
Burbank’s lone goal in the frame was scored by Lizzie Bislamyan and 3:21 left that evened it at 1-1.
In the second period, the Bulldogs scored twice as Elina Khechumyan unloaded a strike from 12 yards and 6:20 to level it at 2-2 and Kristina Khamtrashyan’s 10-yard throw and 49 seconds left made it 3-2.
