Girls water polo: Harbor finds rhythm for win

Steve Virgen

IRVINE - After its third win of the season, it appears the Newport

Harbor High girls water polo team, No. 4 in Orange County, has found its

groove. Sailors senior Jenna Booth was certainly in sync Friday. She

scored four goals to lead Harbor to a 10-8 nonleague victory over host

University.

“We’re trying to get (Booth) to be more consistent and have a big

effort,” Sailors co-coach Bill Barnett said. “And I saw that today. I saw

some really good effort from her.”

After a 5-3 halftime lead, Harbor (3-1) scored three straight goals to

begin the third quarter behind the defense of sophomore Annie Wight.

Booth scored twice and Paige Lansing went for another goal in the 3-0

run.

Wight finished with one goal and seven steals, four of which that led

to Harbor goals. She earned three steals in the first quarter and three

steals in the third.

“I like to play defense,” said Wight who appears to be smiling as she

plays. She says people tease her because she grins when she reaches for a

ball or when she launches a shot.

“People say that I never stop smiling,” she said. “I guess I’m just

happy to play water polo. I enjoy the physical aspect. And defense is the

most important part of the game.”

After a 1-1 tie to end the first quarter, Booth scored twice in a

pivotal second quarter when Harbor outscored Uni, 4-2.

Just 25 seconds into that second quarter, Booth grabbed the ball

before Trojans’ goalie Tiffany Mayer could get to it and Booth scored for

Harbor’s first lead, and the Sailors held the advantage for good.

With 1:09 remaining in the first half, Booth scored for a 5-2 lead,

with Uni’s Monica Cariby and Julie Voorhees strapped to her back.

But, the Trojans (4-3) answered with 16 seconds remaining as Samantha

Klau, who finished with three goals, caromed a shot off the right post

and into the net.

Uni thrived in the last minute of quarters. The Trojans scored three

goals in the last minute of the second, third and fourth quarter.

They also made the most of their six-on-five opportunities as they

scored on six of eight chances. Harbor scored four out of its six

opportunities.

Booth’s play and the Tars’ defense satisfied Barnett and he said

Harbor played better than its 6-4 win over Esperanza Tuesday.

Erin Ball improved her play as she scored two goals, while Katherine

Belden and Jessica Ball finished with one each.

Ball’s skip-shot goal on a six-on-five put the game out of reach,

10-7, with 2:31 remaining.

“We certainly wanted to play better than we did the other day,”

Barnett said. “In this game, I wanted to give everyone a chance to play

and see what they could do. And we had a chance to do that.”

NONLEAGUE

Newport Harbor 10, University 8 Newport Harbor 1 4 3 2 - 10

University 1 2 2 3 - 8

Newport Harbor - Booth 4, Ball 2, Belden 1, Wight 1, Ball 1, Lansing

1.

Saves - Deyden 7.

University - Klau 3, Voorhees 2, Sudeith 1, Gottbrent 1, Cariby 1.

Saves - Mayer 4.