Breaker poloists hold off Edison

Laguna Beach High jumped out to a four-goal lead on host Edison

Monday in a nonleague girls’ water polo match, then had to hold off a

late rally by the Chargers to score a 4-3 victory.

The Breakers, already up, 1-0, scored three, second quarter goals

to forge a seemingly comfortable, 4-0 halftime lead.

The Chargers, however, rallied with three goals of their own in

the third quarter to pull within a goal.

Neither team, however, could score in the final eight minutes.

Freshman Jessica McKee’s two goals paced the Breakers while

Breanna Duplisea and Anna Nelson each scored once.

Laguna played without the services of leading scorer, Addison

Doud, who is rebounding from mononucleosis.

In a previous Pacific Coast League game, Laguna routed Northwood,

10-4.

In girls’ soccer Tuesday, Laguna dropped a 4-1 road match at

Corona del Mar.

The highlight of the match for the Breakers was a goal scored by

Annie Sukhov.

It was the first goal Sukhov has scored at the varsity level.

In boys’ soccer, Laguna put forth valiant efforts against Tesoro

and University but suffered a pair of “hearth-breaking” losses.

Laguna and Tesoro went into halftime knotted in a scoreless tie.

The host Titans, however, scored in the final 15 minutes to record

a 1-0 victory.

“I knew it was going to be a tough game at Tesoro but the players

were up for it,” Laguna Coach Andy Thomas said. “We went there to

defend and eradicate silly mistakes that had cost us vital goals in

the past.

“At halftime it had been a great performance. We had passed the

ball very well at times and had created some good chances. Tesoro had

done nothing to scare us and we had defended excellently.”

The Titans held an edge in time possession in the second half but

Laguna had created better offensive chances.

When the Breakers’ Leonardo Albarran had to leave the game due to

an injury, Thomas was forced to reorganize the defense.

“It was during this time that confusion led to hesitation, and

Tesoro poked a shot pass Diego Valdivia and into the net,” Thomas

said. “We pushed everyone forward to try and find the equalizer, but

ended up losing, 1-0.”

In its follow-up game against University, Laguna dominated the

first 20 minutes of play and rarely let the Trojans get past

mid-field, yet was stuck in a scoreless game at the intermission.

Still, the Breakers ended up on the short end of a 2-0 score.

“We were really up for this game and started superbly,” Thomas

said. “Joey LeBon was playing well at right forward, creating scoring

chances with crosses and his long throw-in our midfield was winning

every ball and getting it forward to our three forwards.”

In the second half, University began to build momentum and went on

the attack, despite Laguna’s ability to create its own scoring

chances.

The Breakers, however, could not capitalize on those

opportunities.

“Derek LeBon came on and was causing the University defense some

problems and came close on several occasions,” Thomas said.

Thomas noted that a lapse in concentration by the Breakers allowed

University to score off a close range shot.

Near the end of the game, Laguna’s own over-hit back pass went

beyond Valdivia in the goal, resulting in a goal that benefited

University.

Laguna had outshot University in the match, 16-3.

“You don’t win on shots taken,” Thomas said. “You have to put the

ball in the back of the net and once again, we had not done so.”