Happy to be at home

The Burroughs High girls’ water polo team couldn’t have asked for a better draw for the first round of the CIF Southern Section V playoffs.

Not only will the Indians began the postseason with a home match, but they will take on a team that they easily defeated earlier in the season.

Burroughs (19-4) is fresh from a gutsy performance last week in the Pacific League championship. The Indians lost to Crescenta Valley, 8-6, to earn the No. 2 seed from the league.

Burroughs will take on Elsinore (9-17) at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Elsinore placed second in the Sunbelt League. The Indians defeated the Tigers, 12-2, in an Ayala Tournament contest.

“We are beyond excited to get the home game to open the playoffs,” Burroughs Coach Danny Garcia said. “This is something we’ve wanted for years, and years, and years and we’ve finally got it. Honestly, I don’t think this program has ever had a home game to start the playoffs.”

Along with opening the postseason at home, going against a team his squad has already defeated this season is a definite boost for his squad, Garcia said.

“When we beat them, we didn’t even have our starting goalie because she wasn’t able to make the game,” Garcia said. “So, to have the whole team for this one is definitely a confidence booster for us.”

Burroughs has a prominent scorer in senior Sam Buliavac, who has tallied 132 goals this season.

“And she’s not done yet,” Garcia said.

The squad also has key players in Savannah Simmons, Erika Green, Daisy Hernandez and goalkeeper Ahsha Earwood.

Garcia said his squad is going to have to bring the kind of defensive pressure if had against Crescenta Valley to be successful in the playoffs.

“Our defense is going to be a big key,” he said. “But we can play really good defense and I know that we’re going to be able bring that.”