Sophomore utility Brett Pinsker looks for an opportunity to shoot during the game against Los Gatos High School on Thursday. Pinsker led the boys’ water polo team to victory with a career high of seven goals. The Vikings went on to win the game, 15-8. – Rachel HarrusThe Palo Alto High School boys’ water polo team (6-5, 5-2) began the second half of league play with a dominating 15-8 win over visiting Los Gatos High School on Thursday.

Sophomore utility Bret Pinsker led the Viking offense with a career high of seven goals.

Despite many goals scored by their offense, the Vikings’ key to success was their unrelenting defense, which overpowered the Los Gatos Cats. Paly relentlessly stole the ball from the Cats and harassed their scorers throughout the game.

“We played hard defense,” Pinsker said. “We tried to press them as hard as we could, and we ended up just stealing the ball each time.”

For this game, the Vikings knew that they had to mentally prepare against a team that yearned to avenge their loss. Paly beat Los Gatos by a margin of 9-6 on Sept. 16.

“We beat them [Los Gatos] last time by three [goals], so we knew they would come out ready to play and wanting the win,” Pinsker said.

The game looked like it could be close early in the first quarter, as the Cats scored first. Junior utility Aaron Zelinger then quickly tied the score at 1-1. The Vikings’ offense scored three more times and shut down the Cats’ offense in the process, ending the quarter with a 4-1 lead.

“We were playing ball side, aggressively, and [we] had a lot of offensive counter attacks due to our defense,” head coach Giovanni Napolitano said.

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In the second quarter, the Vikings’ offense buried the opposition, scoring six goals. Standout Pinsker scored four goals, while Zelinger contributed two. The Cats’ offense could not build upon their solitary goal and remained scoreless throughout the quarter, leaving the Vikings ahead, 10-1.

Napolitano was happy with the way the team played, and hopes that this game will build their overall confidence.

“The message this should send to these players is that when they play as they should play, they can win,” Napolitano said. “I want them to believe it.”

The Cats began a comeback in the third quarter, with a series of goals off of counter-attacks and six-on-five plays. The quarter still ended with Paly ahead by six points, 13-7.

The Vikings’ strong lead allowed everyone on the team to get the chance to play and gain experience in the second half, according to Napolitano.

Two more goals from Pinsker and one goal from Los Gatos brought the final score to 15-8, Paly. This success bodes well for the Vikings’ future games, according to Pinsker.

“It [the game] sets us up well going into the second round of games,” Pinsker said. “We have Los Altos [High School] and Monta Vista [High School] coming up, which will be two hard games. We will be able to bring our hard defense and aggressive counters [attacks] into them as well.”

Napolitano agreed, suggesting that this victory would provide positive momentum for their next match-up against Campolindo High School.

“This game was a good one to lead into the game against Campolindo,” Napolitano said. “Now they [the team] know our practice plays work, and they are confident.”

The Vikings will play Campolindo at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday at Gunn High School.