Girls water polo: Mesa rules the seas

Joseph Boo

COSTA MESA - For the second consecutive year, Costa Mesa High’s

girls water polo team defeated crosstown and Pacific Coast League rival

Estancia by 15 goals, 17-2 this time, in a bizarre game that had ended

with 2:04 left on the clock at the Mustangs’ pool.

Estancia goalie Anna Rasmussen felt a twitch in her neck while attempting

to make a save on Costa Mesa’s 17th goal. As a precautionary measure, the

paramedics and the stretcher were brought out and the game ended

prematurely.

“She complained of a neck pain,” Estancia Coach Michelle Spanley said.

“We felt this was in her best interest. There were also liability reasons

we had to be aware of.”

Costa Mesa Coach Eric Berg allowed Spanley to make the final call on

ending the game and both agreed to the decision. But Rasmussen climbed

out of the pool herself and vocally objected to the premature end. After

wearing a neck brace and lying on the stretcher for a short moment, the

paramedics left without her and she ultimately went to the hospital with

her parents.

Even before the injury, Costa Mesa (6-8, 1-0 in league) was determined to

end the game quickly. The Mustangs scored 10 goals in the game’s first 10

minutes. Katy Petersen, Shayne Kline and Ashley Wright caused most of the

damage for Costa Mesa, combining for 11 of the team’s goals.

“I’ve been encouraging the girls to shoot the ball more,” Berg said.

“Today they showed an eagerness to shoot.”

When Somer Flaherty scored with 2:31 left in the second quarter, it was

Estancia’s first goal ever against the Mustangs in the program’s second

year of existence.

Estancia then tightened up its play, allowing six goals in the second

half. Rasmussen got most of her 11 saves in that half, and Katie Menden

scored Estancia’s only other goal in the fourth on a six-on-five.

“We came out tense. We finally started to loosen up in the second half.

That’s why our captain, Somer, wanted the final 2:04 left in the game.

Eight different Mustangs scored, and Mesa goalie Casey Petersen was

rarely tested, recording only three saves.

“We’ve been focusing a lot on getting everybody involved,” Berg said,

“and we succeeded today.”

Estancia falls to 2-2, 0-1.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUECosta Mesa 17, Estancia 2

Estancia 0 1 0 1 - 2

Costa Mesa 6 5 4 2 - 17

Estancia: Flaherty 1, Menden 1. Saves: Rasmussen 11.

Costa Mesa: K. Petersen 4, Kline 4, Wright 3, Mayo 2, Bayes 1,

Martinovich 1, Heimrichs 1, Steenhard 1. Saves: C. Petersen 3.