Laguna downs Los Al

The Laguna Beach 14-and-under girls’ “A” water polo team needed

overtime to get past Los Alamitos in scoring a 5-4 victory in weekend

tournament play.

Dylan Conroy scored the winning goal in overtime. It was the only

goal of the match for Conroy.

Lexy Ross first put Laguna on the scoreboard with a first quarter

goal for a 1-0 lead, and a goal by Madison Duncan in the second

quarter allowed Laguna to pull into a 2-2 halftime tie.

Los Alamitos outscored Laguna 2-0 in the third quarter, to open up

a 4-2 lead. But a strong defensive effort, and just enough offense in

the fourth quarter, allowed Laguna to send the game into overtime.

Goals by Arielle Palmer and Annika Dries in the final quarter put

Laguna into a 4-4 tie.

Laguna Beach “A” also was a 13-3 winner over Carlsbad.

Dries was red-hot on offense and posted eight goals, while Ross

scored three goals and Hannah Fait scored twice.

In the tournament final, Laguna took on the Laguna 12-and-under

“B” team, which put up a fight before falling to their elders, 3-0.

Following a scoreless first quarter, Dries scored consecutive

goals in the second period to give the “A” team a 2-0 halftime edge.

Dries scored her third goal in the fourth quarter to complete the

scoring.

Previously, the 14-and-under “A” team had qualified for this

summer’s Junior Olympics water polo tournament in San Jose Aug. 5-7.

Laguna defeated So Cal “A”, 7-3, in its first match in the

qualifying tournament, as goals by Conroy and Fait and two more by

Dries allowed Laguna to open up a 4-1 halftime lead. Ross, Duncan and

Conroy all scored in the second half to complete Laguna’s scoring.

Laguna had secured its spot in the Junior Olympics tournament by

romping past North Irvine, 20-0. Every player who saw action for

Laguna scored at least one goal and goalie Sarah Zuziak turned away

the only shot attempt North Irvine could get off in the match.

Scoring for Laguna was Dries, Fait, Duncan, Conroy, Ross, Kacky

Brown, Siena Martin, Arianna Ross and Arielle Palmer.

Laguna concluded play in the qualifying tournament by fighting

Newport Beach to a 5-5 tie. Dries scored the first two goals for

Laguna, followed by a third period goal scored by Duncan. Lexy Ross

capped the scoring with a pair of fourth-quarter scores.