Tars take it easily

Steve Virgen

After a highly-intense week, the Newport Harbor High girls water polo

team took a sigh of relief and easily cruised past Sea View League

host Aliso Niguel, 16-7, Wednesday.

The Sailors (13-2, 2-0 in league), who defeated Foothill twice

last week and finished second in the prestigious Santa Barbara

Tournament of Champions, built a 9-2 lead in the first quarter and

coasted to the win, as Newport Coach Bill Barnett gave more playing

time to his reserves.

If the 9-2 lead wasn’t enough, Newport apparently had a sizable

advantage entering the game. When asked of his record in league this

season, Aliso Niguel Coach Erick Lynch was not bashful about

predicting the future.

“We’re 0-1 in league, but soon to be 0-2,” Lynch said before the

game. “That’s just the way it is. Newport’s the best team in Orange

County.”

It didn’t take long for the Sailors to give credence to Lynch’s

statement. Newport junior Anne Belden scored four goals and recorded

two steals in the first quarter. The Sailors built a 6-0 lead before

the Wolverines (5-11, 0-2) were able to fire off their first shot.

The Sailors appear as if they are on their way to winning the Sea

View League championship, yet they also have higher goals in mind.

“They’re not satisfied,” Barnett said. “They would like to have a

shot at winning CIF. There are a lot of obstacles in the way.”

Wednesday did not seem to be an obstacle. Junior Melissa Wheeler

added three goals in the first seven minutes, while seniors Jessica

Ball and Carolyn Conway contributed one goal each in the first

quarter.

Five of the six players who started the first quarter did not play

in the final three periods.

In the fourth quarter, Conway came back in the game as a goalie,

just for fun, as Barnett occasionally looked on with a smile. Conway

recorded two steals, but no saves.

Newport senior goalies Kim Housepian and Terin Cottam stuffed

three shots each. Sophomore Kally Lucas scored three goals and senior

Sabrina Cook had two. Sophomore Leah Robertson and senior Kaycie

Craib provided one goal each.

Lucas scored two goals in the second quarter, when Cook and

Robertson also found the back of the cage, helping give Newport a

13-3 lead at halftime.

Lucas dished to Robertson, who put it in from about four meters

out, on a power play one minute into the second period. With 3:30

left, Robertson drew an ejection. Cook found Lucas open five seconds

later and she scored on the six-on-five opportunity.

Lucas rounded on the second-quarter scoring when Robertson passed

to her on the weakside on a counterattack.

The Sailors played without junior Ashling Taylor, who was

suspended for one game for unsportsmanlike conduct, or as Barnett put

it, “an emotional outburst.” Taylor was assessed her third ejection

in the championship game against Santa Barbara Saturday and reacted

by throwing a water bottle against a wall.

*--*

Sea View League

Newport Harbor 16, Aliso Niguel 7

Score by Quarters

Newport 9 4 2 1 -- 16

Aliso 2 1 1 3 -- 7

Newport -- Belden 4, Wheeler 3, Lucas 3, Cook 2,

Ball 1, Conway 1, Robertson 1, Craib 1. Saves --

Housepian 3, Cottam 3. Aliso -- Witherspoon 2,

Stone 2, McCormick 1, Buratti 1, Deomampo 1.

Saves -- Einollazadeh 3, Dudic 1.

*--*