Newport edges Sea Kings, 8-7

Steve Virgen

Newport Harbor High reopened its pool with a wild and thrilling 8-7

girls water polo victory over its rival, Corona del Mar, Friday.

It was the first game at Newport since the school renovated its

pool, a project that cost roughly $1 million.

The Sea Kings helped add drama to the reopening, as the Battle of

the Bay lived up to its billing. There were six ties and three lead

changes.

Carolyn Conway, who was whistled for two ejections within the

first eight minutes, scored on an assist from Sarah Mutt with 1:15

left in the game. CdM goalie Brittany Fullen, who was brilliant in

recording 10 saves, got a hand on the ball, but the shot was strong

enough to scoot into the cage for the 8-7 lead.

“Better to be lucky than good any day,” Newport Harbor Coach Bill

Barnett said. “We just kept playing and playing hard ... Their goalie

[Fullen] was hot, boy, she was outstanding. She had an absolutely

fantastic day. Even the really good goalies let the shots go in once

in a while. She really had an outstanding day.”

CdM (1-3) had defeated Newport (2-0) the past two years in the

annual rivalry game that usually takes place on the last week before

the winter break. Two years ago, the Sea Kings won, 8-7, marking the

first time they had beaten Newport since the 1997-98 season, when the

CIF Southern Section sanctioned girls water polo. Last year, CdM

defeated the Sailors, 6-5.

But the Sailors came back in ’03 in their new pool, as Anne Belden

and Mutt scored two goals each, while Jessica Ball, Leah Robertson

and Ashling Taylor added one each.

“We all went out there and maybe it was my turn to do it,” said

Conway, bound for the University of Indiana. “[Reopening the pool

with a win] kind of makes it even better, and we wanted to get them

back for last year.”

With back-and-forth action, balls bouncing off posts and

crossbars, outside lob shots and even pulling of hair, Newport Harbor

and CdM produced a classic, an early-season game that had

playoff-type atmosphere.

“It was intense,” said Fullen, who was ejected late in third

quarter after dunking Newport junior Ashling Taylor. “She grabbed my

hair. [My reaction] wasn’t because of the rivalry, it was kind of

like, ‘Don’t touch the hair.’ I don’t hate Newport. I have friends on

Newport. What happens in the pool, stays in the pool.”

Fullen went out with 42 seconds left in the third. Belden, a

left-hander, scored 16 seconds later for a 5-5 tie that capped the

Sailors’ rally from a 5-3 deficit.

CdM regained its lead when Jordan Anae scored on a skip shot with

5:35 remaining.

But Newport Harbor answered less than a minute later with Mutt, a

team captain who scored while fighting off a defender.

With 3:51 left, the Sea Kings went up, 7-6, when Newport goalie

Terin Cottam came out of the cage to grab the ball. But, CdM junior

Katie Kubas tapped it over Cottam’s head and the ball floated slowly

into the cage.

However, Newport tied the score again with 2:02 left when Taylor

scored on her own rebound, which set the stage for Conway’s goal.

The Sea Kings nearly scored with 34 seconds left. Melissa

Wheeler’s shot went off the post as the shot-clock buzzer sounded.

Conway shot in two meters, but Fullen came up with the stop to set up

a final play for CdM with 14 seconds left.

CdM set up a play for Anae, who appeared to have an open shot, but

Cottam came up with the save with two seconds left.

Anae scored a game-high three goals, while Katya Eadington,

Camille Hewko, Vivian Liao and Kubas added one goal each.

“This is the best we have played this year,” CdM Coach Aaron

Chaney said. “We played with intensity and we played with a lot of

heart ... [former CdM Coach John Vargas] told me I didn’t have to

worry about the girls being ready for this game. He was right. I

didn’t even have to say a word. They were already pumped.”

CdM’s frosh/soph team defeated Newport, 4-2, with two goals in the

fourth quarter scored by Katie Indvik and Holly Van Hiel. Newport’s

junior varsity won, 11-2.

*--*

Nonleague

Newport Harbor 8, Corona del Mar 7

Score by Quarters

CdM 1 1 3 2 -- 7

Newport 1 1 3 3 -- 8

CdM -- Anae 3, Eadington 1, Hewko 1, Liao 1, K.

Kubas 1. Saves -- Fullen 10.

Newport -- Belden 2, Mutt 2, Ball 1, Robertson 1,

Taylor 1, Conway 1. Saves -- Housepian 5, Cottam

2.

*--*