Equipped with a blistering throw and an eye for goal, Sasha Newton ’16 has been a mainstay for the Andover Girls Water Polo this season. The Lower from California scored the winning goal in Andover’s Championship 8-7 win over Choate on Saturday.
Newton has notched an impressive tally of 39 goals in 12 games this season, earning herself the position of second-highest goal scorer on the team.
On the defensive end, Newton is second in terms of steals, second only to her team captain Kate Simpson ‘14.
After starting out the season as a staunch whole-set defender, Newton gradually transitioned to a prolific offensive machine as a whole-set attacker.
“I guess I’m not afraid to shoot. I used to be afraid to shoot, since my offensive career as a water polo player is somewhat new to me. For the most part, I’ve always been a defensive water polo player on my club team,” said Newton.
The aforementioned club team that Sasha plays for is 680 Water Polo, a team based in California, the hub of water polo in the United States.
A swimmer for most of her life, Newton was introduced to water polo purely by chance after a flyer caught her attention after a swim meet. Following her first taste of the hectic sport, Newton was immediately hooked.
Upon acceptance to Andover in 2012, Newton knew that she would play water polo at Andover. Newton has been one of the team’s strongest contributors for the past two seasons.
Newton greatly appreciates the passionate energy and dynamic that the team shares in and out of the water. She also praises the team’s coach Dan O’Shea along with the Seniors for their leadership and encouragement.
“Sasha is more of a force than anything else. She was always aggressive from the onset, always on the ball, always looking to help out and always encouraging her teammates to make good plays. She jumped right into a leadership role, pretty much from the moment she first got in the pool. I’d say her leadership role is by far her biggest attribute.”
With such an impressive track record, Newton guided the Girls Water Polo team to yet another NEPSAC Water Polo Championship. With her at the helm, the team is sure to enjoy future success.
