The Palo Alto High School girls’ water polo team hopes to improve from last year after failing to qualify for Central Coast Sectionals last year.

The Vikings only graduated two seniors last year, so they are hoping that they will be stronger over all. Seniors Olivia Scola, Tess Van Hulsen and Maddie Kinnaman will lead the team this year.

The girls will need to improve in some aspects of the game to have a more successful season than last year.

“The big thing [to improve on] will be team unity, team play and making sure we continue to build on the team concept,” head coach Aileen Delaney said. “They need to build their confidence in their shooting and defense as those are two key things, especially the defense.”

According to junior Katie Francis, even if Delaney is focusing on team unity she “is very dedicated to [helping] each individual improve in any way she can.”

The Vikings want to be successful this season. However, the success of the season will not only be based on their win and loss record.

“Our hopes are to have a successful season,” Aileen said. “A season is not defined just by wins but by the unity we show as a team throughout the year though we do have the goal of reaching CCS.”

The team will face Homestead High School at 6:45 p.m. Sept. 16 at Homestead. For their first home game, the Vikings will play Los Gatos at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 18.