The Los Alamitos High girls water polo team had to rally late to force overtime against Santa Margarita in the opening round of the CIF-SS playoffs. Then the Griffins scored two late goals to close out the game as they defeated the Eagles, 8-6, in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs last week at Ocean View High.
Neither team scored in the first three-minute overtime and it took most of the second before the 6-6 tie was broken. With 1:16 left in the second overtime period, Katie Dvonch broke the tie with a lob shot from the left side that went in just inside the right post.
The Los Alamitos High girls water polo team had to rally late to force overtime against Santa Margarita in the opening round of the CIF-SS playoffs. Then the Griffins scored two late goals to close out the game as they defeated the Eagles, 8-6, in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs last week at Ocean View High.
Neither team scored in the first three-minute overtime and it took most of the second before the 6-6 tie was broken. With 1:16 left in the second overtime period, Katie Dvonch broke the tie with a lob shot from the left side that went in just inside the right post.
On the Eagles’ ensuing possession, they misplayed a pass and Calysa Toledo made the steal and rushed the length of the pool on a breakaway. Toleda pulled up in front of the goalie, and fired a skip shot past her for the 8-6 lead with :53 left in the game. The Griffins were able to make the score stand up.
Defenses controlled much of the game as the Griffins had just a 2-1 lead by halftime. Los Al trailed 5-4 with 5:01 left in the game after Santa Margarita’s Vicky Ochoa scored on a rebound. The Eagles had a hard shot that was stopped by Griffin goal keeper Tara Debrabander. However, Ochoa was able to get to the rebound and slide a low shot to the left side for the 5-4 lead.
But the Griffins regained the lead on goals by Lily Weiser and Madison Ravelo.Weiser tied the score with a shot from six meters in front, after a Santa Margarita exclusion with 2:36 left in the game. Thirty seconds later, the Griffins made a defensive stop and pushed on a counter attack. Debrabander led Ravelo with a long lead pass that set Ravelo up on the left side of the goal. Ravelo then beat the keeper for the go-ahead shot from the left side.
After the long defensive battle, Griffin Coach Dave Carlson said it was the resolve of the girls that got the victory, particularly in the second overtime period. “The girls got themselves fired up, I didn’t really have anything to do with that,” Carlson said.
The Griffins offense stumbled in the second round as they fell to Laguna Beach, 10-4, on Saturday at Belmont Plaza Pool. Ravelo had two goals to lead the offense.
