Tars find their revenge

Newport Harbor rebounds from Tournament of Champions loss to upend Foothill in two overtimes for Sea View League win. NEWPORT BEACH -- With last weekend’s Tournament of Champions semifinal loss to Foothill fresh on its mind, the Newport Harbor High girls water polo team got sweet revenge with an 8-7 double-overtime victory over the Knights on Wednesday.

In avenging the 4-3 loss in Santa Barbara, the Sailors picked up a Sea View League victory and are a leg up on a possible No. 1 seed in the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.

“We were supposed to be the underdog team, and we’ve been working so hard to prove everyone wrong,” said Katie Kepner, who had three assists and one goal. “We can be just as good as the team last year. We have different players, but we have new connections.”

Playing in front of bleachers packed with shivering fans, the Sailors went six quarters strong, using their counterattack and the play of goalkeeper Elizabeth Layton.

“It feels awesome,” Calli Manderino said. “Our team wanted to win so bad. We wanted it more than they did.”

Layton, who recorded 16 saves, made two four-meter blocks in the final minutes of the game. The defense held the Knights scoreless in the two overtime periods, making it possible for Allyssa Peterson to score the game-winning goal with 43 seconds remaining in the extra period.

“We wouldn’t have won if we wouldn’t have had [Layton] in the cage,” Kepner said. “She owned the game. And we swam so hard today, I could feel it. After every quarter we were all needing water.”

Throughout the first four quarters, each team had its moments. Both scored twice in the first period, but the Sailors took charge in the second, jumping to a 4-2 lead in the first two minutes on goals by Leah Robertson and Manderino.

Foothill refused to sink, ending the first half with a 3-0 run and scoring early in the third period to take a 6-4 lead.

Two free shots by Kally Lucas evened up the score for the fourth time.

“We worked so hard,” said Layton. “We kept up with them the whole time and knew we could do it. And when the crowd’s going and it’s such an intense game like that, it makes us play better. This is our pool -- that’s all I can say. This is our home.”

With 4:21 remaining in the fourth, Newport got two saves by Layton, and Kepner scored at the other end for the 7-6 lead.

With less than a minute left, Foothill’s Kelsey Holshouser took a free shot, which was blocked by Layton. Holshouser, however, recovered the ball and scored with 41 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.

“It was nerve wracking,” said Kepner. “But it feels even better to know that after all that, we still got it.”

In the second overtime, after Layton blocked three shots, a dunking foul was called on Foothill, leading to Peterson’s goal, assisted by Kepner.

A final attempt by Foothill was blocked by Layton, crowning the Sailors victorious, and easing the memories of last week’s loss and last season’s Division I championship game defeat at the hands of the Knights.

“This is more than a rivalry -- it’s girls water polo,” said Foothill Coach David Mikesell. “They walk out of this league next year, so they’re going to want to walk away with a league championship.”

Lucas finished with four goals, three steals and three assists, while Robertson tallied one goal and three steals.

Sea View League

Newport Harbor 7, Foothill 7

Score by Quarters