After losing its two highest scorers, Karen Xin ‘25 and Ruiqi Liu ‘25, Menlo’s varsity girls basketball team has opened its season 13-5 (3-3 in league) in search of its fifth straight CCS title. 

Head coach Ryan Cooper said Liu and Xin’s absence has allowed other players to step up as leaders. “I’ve noticed the girls finding a rhythm together and a newfound confidence in their ability to […] score together,” he said.

Sophomore Anika Shah has emerged as this season’s leading scorer, propelling the team to a 46-44 victory against Homestead. “[It] was a really hard-fought game […] so I’m glad the outcome matched it,” Shah said. 

Additionally, seniors Sophie Housser and Maren Mulloy have led the Knights. Housser, who decided not to play this year, continues to support the team as a team manager. “She’s taken on a captain role in terms of energy and the bench,” Cooper said. Mulloy has anchored the team defensively. “We build our game plan around her on the defensive end,” Cooper said. 

Cooper sees this year as an opportunity for the team to learn. “The fun is going to be in every day, just being together and watching […] our team continue to grow,” he said.