SHE’S OPEN—Moorpark High girls’ water polo player Katie Kidder leaps high out of the water during a team workout. IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers The Moorpark High girls’ water polo players have something in common with Grateful Dead fans.

They both wear tie-dye shirts.

The Musketeers went over to teammate Lexy Varshawsky’s home on Tuesday to make colorful tie-dye shirts, which they planned to don at this weekend’s Redlands Tournament.

“This year has been a lot of fun so far,” said Varshawsky, the team’s lone senior.

Winning has certainly helped build morale for a program less than a decade old.

Moorpark entered the week with a 5-2 record, the best start in school history, according to head coach Chris Beattie. MHS won seven games all of last season and finished sixth in the Marmonte League standings.

Behind a solid defense and a diversified offense, the Musketeers want to earn a top-four finish in the Marmonte, finish .500 overall and make a trip to the postseason.

PASSING TREND—Musketeer Alex Marquez tosses the ball to Allie Fog. MHS won five of seven matches to open the season. IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers Moorpark has never reached the playoffs.

With a little bit of improvement each week, Beattie likes what he sees.

“We’re close to where we want to be,” the first-year coach said.

Varshawsky, a talented whole set who has played water polo since the seventh grade, is a thirdyear varsity player.

“She had to change her game drastically from last season,” Beattie said of his senior.

“The offense ran through her before, and she was shooting from the outside perimeter. She’s developed more variety in her offense. She’s a lot more dynamic.”

Varshawsky is aided by junior whole set Tina Wu, an offensive threat. Beattie, who coaches with the local Mavericks Aquatics Club, said he has coached Wu for six straight years.

“I’ve really seen her progress,” Beattie said of Wu. “She’s a natural scorer. She has the competitive edge to score at will.”

Wu said she has enjoyed the Musketeers’ fast start.

“It’s great,” she said. “We’ve improved a lot and it’s still early. I think our team has bonded a lot faster. We have good team chemistry, and we’re adapting to each others’ styles. I think our hard work and practice is paying off in games.”

Sophomore utilities Katie Kidder and Alex Marquez have been counted on to play big roles immediately as first-year varsity players.

Junior Allie Fog patrols the goal for Moorpark. Junior defender Ally Larson and twin sisters Lauren and Leigh Houghton provide depth at utility.

Sophomore utility Lisa Fullerton also contributes.

The Musketeers’ defense has rounded into shape, but Beattie hopes the offense will find a spark.

“Right now we’re more defensive oriented,” the coach said. “We struggle sometimes to put points up. Defense can win you a lot of games. You also have to put up points. You can’t win 0-0.”

Varshawsky said the Musketeers are working on cleaning up their attack, and she’s already witnessed improvement.

“We’re working on being aggressive,” the senior said. “We’re working as six people and a goalie in the pool.

“We need to pass the ball around and move it around. In the past, we’ve played a one-man offense. Now, we’re more of a team.”

The water polo program has taken a hit in numbers this year, however.

A Moorpark Unified School District rule does not allow freshmen and sophomores to earn physical education credit for water polo, according to Beattie.

The girls’ program had 45 players last year. There are 24 players this season, including seven on junior varsity—the bare minimum with no reserves—and eight on the frosh-soph squad.

The boys’ teams lost about 20 players from 2008.

“We’re hoping we can get the P.E. rule changed, hopefully for next year,” Beattie said. “It’s hard to encourage people to play a sport two hours a day that doesn’t count for P.E.”

Still, Moorpark water polo is on the rise. The boys’ varsity team finished in a tie for fourth place in the Marmonte this fall.

“The program has been a little rocky the last couple of years,” Beattie said. “We’re getting a little more stable.”

The coach wants the girls’ squad to take full advantage of its underdog role.

“Being in the underdog position allows us to sneak in and get some wins,” said Beattie, whose squad took 13th place among 32 teams at the Mistletoe Classic hosted by Newbury Park in the last weekend of November.

“I think we’ve surprised a lot of parents and girls—and definitely me.”