Ripe in the water

In a game Newport Harbor girls water polo coach Joslyn Mandarino

called, “As good a water polo game as you’ll ever see,” the team from

Commerce battled Newport to a 9-9 tie at the end of regulation before

scoring a quick goal in sudden death overtime to take the title in

the Villa Park Tournament played at Villa Park High School.

Even with the loss, Newport has played well of late, reaching the

finals in not only the Villa Park Tournament but also the Cypress

Tournament, which they won by defeating San Diego Shores, 9-7, the

previous week.

Newport had easily cruised to victories in both quarterfinal and

semifinal matches Saturday and Sunday morning before facing Commerce

Sunday afternoon.

In the crucial final minutes of regulation and Newport leading,

9-8, Commerce scored a goal with a man advantage to tie the game and

then win shortly thereafter in sudden-death overtime.

Both teams traded goals from the outset as Newport’s Annie Wight

scored 30 seconds into the game, but Commerce came right back to tie

the game. No team led by more than one goal in a match that saw nine

lead changes.

Near the end of the first half Wight took a pass from Jessie Ball

to tie the game 4-4 before Ball, who finished with two goals, made

the best of a broken defensive play by Commerce to give Newport a 5-4

lead just before the end of the first half.

Commerce came out with two quick goals in the third quarter before

Jenna Murphy took a soft touch pass from Paige Lansing, who made

three steals, to tie the match at six.

Then with less than two minutes left Carolyn Conway fought off two

defenders to stuff the ball past Commerce’s goalie.

Wight led Newport with three goals while Newport goalie Taryn

Cottham made 19 saves.