Girls water polo: Harbor denied in final period

Steve Virgen

CORONA DEL MAR - After four ties, two lead changes and

playoff-style action, both Newport Harbor High girls water polo Coach

Bill Barnett and Santa Margarita Coach Scott Taylor said the other team

had “a lot of weapons.”

Harbor’s weapons, however, were not loaded in the final period as the

Sailors were outscored, 3-0, and lost, 7-5, at Corona del Mar High’s pool

in the quarterfinals qualifier of the Irvine Southern California

Championships Friday.

“We had our chances at the end,” Barnett said. “Our passing was

absolutely atrocious down the stretch. We couldn’t put the ball away, and

when it was time to make a hard comeback we couldn’t do it.”

The Tars (18-6), ranked No. 2 in Orange County, grabbed their first

lead of the game, 5-4, when junior Katherine Belden scored on a penalty

shot with five seconds remaining in the third period. Harbor sophomore

Annie Wight grabbed a rebound and drew the penalty on Eagles’ goalie

Kristen Carfioli, who finished with eight saves.

Santa Margarita (14-7), ranked No. 5 in Orange County, pulled away

from a one-goal deficit with momentum and an opportune stop of a Harbor

six-on-five. With the score knotted at five, Carfioli stopped a Tars’

shot and the Eagles scored quickly on the counterattack.

“To be able to shut them out in the fourth quarter,” Taylor said.

“That was the key. We did a good job of matching them up and slowing them

down.”

Santa Margarita, however, could not slow down the Sailors through the

first three periods. Each time the Eagles broke for a lead the Tars would

catch them with a goal.

Belden answered the Eagles’ 1-0 lead, scoring 11 seconds after Santa

Margarita’s short-lived advantage. Harbor senior Jenna Booth tied the

game at two when she connected on a player-up, which Belden drew.

Harbor sophomore Jenna Murphy and freshman Jessica Ball teamed for the

Tars’ next two goals, which tied the game at three and then four.

First, Murphy found Ball who scored on a counterattack. And, Murphy

then tapped a touch-pass to Ball who scored on a six-on-five.

Harbor’s defense kept the game close as Belden, Murphy and Erin Ball

finished with two steals each and goalie Heather Deyden finished with

eight saves.

The Tars will attempt to earn a fifth-place finals berth as they play

today at Irvine’s Heritage Park at 9 a.m.

After a 3-2 halftime lead, Corona del Mar dropped a 7-4 decision to

Santa Barbara Friday. CdM’s Danielle Carlson, Malia Tarayao, Lindsey

Daley and Christina Hewko scored one goal each. Sea Kings goalie Jessica

Wells finished with five saves.

Corona will play today at 9 a.m. at Irvine.