Girls water polo: Still some work to do

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - Rapper Rob Base said it best, it takes two to make

things go right.

After getting squashed by Newport Harbor High’s girls water polo team,

Orange County’s No. 1 team, in the first half, No. 4 Villa Park gave its

two-meter player Kristyan Pulver company in the post. The move sparked a

Spartans’ comeback that led to an 8-7 victory in Saturday’s final of the

Newport Harbor/Corona del Mar Tournament.

“Our defense completely failed in the second half,” Newport Harbor Coach

Brian Kreutzkamp said, “and I’m not happy about that. We held them to one

legitimate goal in the first half. But we were so bad after that.”

“By changing our offense,” Villa Park Coach John Carcich said. “We forced

them to change their defense.”

The first half was not a good one for the Spartans (11-3). Newport Harbor

(11-2) dominated, even though its star two-meter player, Kyndra Cox, was

contained inside.

Instead of finding shots, Cox simply kicked the ball out and assisted on

two goals. Her first assist was to Katherine Belden, which tied the game

at one goal apiece. McKenna Mosier scored on Cox’s second kick-out.

Newport led, 4-1, in the second with goals from Cox and Janna Murphy.

Meanwhile, Newport’s defense and goalie Heather Deyden, who had 12 saves

in the game, shut down Villa Park and Pulver. The game seemed to be in

control for the Sailors, although Villa Park’s Shari Meyer scored on a

desperation heave at the close of the half.

Carcich, who had the idea to switch to a double-post offense with Pulver

and Cindy Hamm in the second, didn’t deploy it until the start of the

third. Newport still extended the lead to 6-3 as Cox and Mosier scored

again. Then Villa Park’s offensive switch paid dividends, and three goals

from Hamm, Pulver and Danel French tied the game after three quarters,

6-6.

Villa Park had the momentum at this point, and it took a 7-6 lead at the

start of the fourth on a goal from Meyer. Cox tied the game with her

first two-meter goal, but Pulver scored again to give the Spartans the

lead with 2:47 left.

Both Newport Harbor and Villa Park had chances in the final two minutes

to score. Two Villa Park shots that would’ve closed out the game hit the

post. Newport had good looks at the goal, but it didn’t get a clean shot.

“In the first half, we had three or four perimeter goals,” Kreutzkamp

said. “In the second half, the girls refused to shoot the ball. They

tightened up.”

And Carcich feels thankful that Newport didn’t find a way to score.

“When you play Newport,” he said, “first you have to stop their counter.

Then you have to stop No. 8 (Cox). Then you work your way to their other

players. All six of their starters are good, and they have so many

scoring threats. They’re good fundamentally. I feel fortunate we came

away with the victory.”

In the semifinal, the Sailors struggled with No. 2 Santa Margarita for

three quarters before scoring four goals in the fourth quarter to win,

7-4. Ali Taylor scored three times and Murphy got two goals for the

Sailors. Deyden had eight saves.

NEWPORT HARBOR-CORONA DEL MAR TOURNAMENT

Championship Game

Villa Park 8, Newport Harbor 7

Newport Harbor 3 2 1 1 - 7

Villa Park 1 1 4 2 - 8

Newport Harbor: Cox 3, Mosier 2, Belden 1, Murphy 1. Saves: Deyden 12.

Villa Park: French 2, Meyer 2, Pulver 2, Cessna 1, Hamm 1.

Saves: Colton 11.

Semifinal

Newport Harbor 7, Santa Margarita 4

Santa Margarita 1 1 0 2 - 4

Newport Harbor 0 2 1 4 - 7

Santa Margarita: Kunkel 2, Peterson 1. Figgl 1. Saves: na

Newport Harbor: Taylor 3, Murphy 2, Belden 1, Cox 1. Saves: Deyden 8.