Pirates upset, 6-5

LOS ALAMITOS -- Most would agree it is difficult to beat a quality

team three times in the same season, and that was the situation

Thursday as defending state champion Orange Coast was upset by a

strong Merced women’s water polo team, 6-5, in the first round of the

State Championships at the USA National Aquatic Complex.

Orange Coast goaltender Heather Deyden had nine saves, including

three in the final quarter to keep the Blue Devils off the

scoreboard, but the Bucs couldn’t overcome a two-goal deficit heading

into the final frame and managed just a single goal by Erica

Nicholson with 33 seconds left.

“I thought we played well enough to win, but we just ran out of

time,” said OCC Coach Mike Giles. “We had some trouble putting the

ball away on our man-up plays and coming out of our timeouts. I think

if we had two more minutes in the game, we would have come out on

top.”

The Pirates (26-9) duel San Joaquin Delta today at 9:15 in a

consolation match.