Harbor edges Wilson

Richard Dunn

When the Newport Harbor High girls water polo team decided to turn

it on Friday against perennial powerhouse Long Beach Wilson, it was

like a light switch.

The Sailors, however, survived some dim offensive moments before

defeating the Bruins, 6-5, in the quarterfinals of the Irvine

Southern California Championships at Newport Harbor.

“I think the players on our team felt it would be an easier game,

but I knew it would be a tough one,” Newport Harbor Coach Bill

Barnett said. “When we beat them at the Santa Barbara Tournament

(Jan. 24) by six or seven goals, they had 45 minutes to rest before

the game and we had six hours.”

The Sailors (20-3), who won the encounter with Wilson two weeks

ago, 10-3, are 3-0 against the Bruins (15-7) this season. Newport

Harbor, ranked No. 2 in Orange County and CIF Southern Section

Division I behind Foothill, will square off against Santa Margarita

today at 11 a.m. in the semifinals at Corona del Mar.

Senior Annie Wight and juniors Jessica Ball and Carolyn Conway

scored two goals each for the Sailors, who were outscored in the

fourth quarter, 2-0, before holding on to win.

Long Beach Wilson managed a 3-2 halftime lead, but the Sailors

came out firing in the second half, scoring four goals within 2:41 to

take an insurmountable 6-3 lead.

Wight, who scored the game’s first goal with 2:27 left in the

first quarter, triggered the Sailors’ third-quarter rally with a

player-advantage goal on a pass from Jenna Murphy at 5:25.

Ball, who tied the game, 2-2, early in the second quarter on a

bullet from eight meters, added her team’s second goal of the second

half with 4:31 on the clock, giving the hosts a 4-3 lead on a tough

shot at set, in which she battled two Wilson defenders -- Megan

Nesland and goalie Kendall Cheak -- before scoring.

Conway provided Newport with a 5-3 lead when she scored a

counterattack goal with 3:46 remaining, then heaved a missile from

eight meters with 2:44 left.

“It was just one of those times in the game when things went right

for us,” Barnett said.

Newport goalie Terrin Cottam finished with three saves.

Quarterfinal

Newport Harbor 6, Wilson 5

Score by Quarters

LB Wilson 2 1 0

2 - 5

Newport 1 1 4

0 -- 6

LB Wilson -- Silver 3, Lamb 1, Mota 1. Saves -- Cheak 3.

Newport -- Ball 2, Wight 2, Conway 2. Saves -- Cottam.