For the second year, Laguna Beach High’s girls’ water polo squad lost in overtime at the Division I semifinals on Wednesday. It took a hot Newport Harbor squad (26-4) on a 15-game win streak to stop the Breakers (23-7) while last year undefeated Dos Pueblos pulled out the win.
Four of Laguna’s losses have come at the hands of Newport Harbor’s Tars, with three of the matches going into OT.
Newport scored first but Laguna also scored in the first period on a shot by Mackenzie Baldridge and took the lead on a buzzer shot by Yoshi Anderson from the mid pool area.
Melena Masson made it 3-1 Laguna midway in the second period but the Tars quickly countered with a score of their own. Makenzie Fischer scored inside the final minute off a Baldridge pass to extend the lead to 4-2, but a flurry of Newport shot attempts at the buzzer netted a score as the first half ended.
Newport pulled out two scores in the third period as Laguna shot opportunities were fewer and fewer. The regulation match was tied midway in the fourth period at 5-5 as Masson drew a penalty shot converted by Anderson.
Newport scored midway in the first of the two mandatory three-minute overtime periods. They made it 7-5 on a second OT period lob shot. After the ensuing Anderson shot was blocked, Newport lost possession giving Fischer a clean score to cut the lead to 7-6 with 53 seconds left. Breakers were unable to gain possession after that as Newport was able to run out the clock.
Breaker keeper Jenna Knott had 10 saves while her Newport counterpart was credited with 17 stops.
