Polo team cruises

The Laguna Beach Age Group Water Polo 14-and-Under girls’ team whipped visiting Capo Valley, 9-1, in club action Saturday.

Following a kick out in the first period, Jesse Holechek was unguarded and easily went in to net the game’s first goal. Later in the quarter, Jessica Shusko and Riley Duncan each assaulted the goal for Laguna, but their shots clanged off the crossbar, leaving the score, 1-0.

Laguna struck again early in the second quarter. Following a save by goalie Edy Manetta, Holechek scored again, this time on a penalty shot, to make it 2-0. Manetta came up with another save, but Capo was able to convert its first goal later in the quarter to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Late in the quarter, Halley Zoellner scored to put Laguna up, 3-1, at the half.

Laguna dominated play in the second half, starting with Yoshi Andersen winning the sprint in the third quarter. She flipped the ball to Shusko who in turned lobbed it back to a streaking Andersen. She then planted the ball into the net behind a stunned Capo goalie to give Laguna a 4-1 advantage.

Manetta then made her final big save of the game, which prompted the Laguna offense into action. Shusko drew another kick out which resulted in Candyce Shroeder scoring, Duncan would set up another score by Shusko, and Shusko picked up an assist by feeding Andersen for her second goal of the game.

The third quarter ended with Laguna holding a commanding 7-1 lead.

The final quarter saw Kelsey Thornton steal a pass, then sprint three-quarters of the pool to score. Thornton would score again off an assist from Zoellner to complete the scoring.