Orange County girls water polo looked much more competitive at its highest levels Thursday.
No. 1 Laguna Beach played its second one-goal game and displayed the can-do attitude that made it the CIF-SS Division 1 champion last season. And No. 2 Foothill played more like a worthy challenger compared to the Holiday Cup final five days earlier.
But Makenzie Fischer still remained the county’s ultimate difference-maker as the Breakers edged the Knights, 6-5, on the senior’s power-play goal with 2:03 left in the nonleague match at Foothill.
“She finds ways to win,” Laguna Beach coach Ethan Damato said of the Stanford signee.
The reigning county player of the year finished with a match-high three goals and an assist, but the Breakers (10-0) needed a save by Holly Parker (nine saves) off a partial field block by Aria Fischer on the final play to secure their 31st consecutive victory.
Bella Baldridge also blocked a shot from the wing by Foothill (10-2) in the final minute.
Laguna Beach defeated the Knights in the Holiday Cup final, 13-3.
“I don’t think there’s anybody on the team who expected it to be the same as it was on Saturday,” Damato said. “We expected a battle.”
Damato praised Foothill for playing better and more physical but felt his team struggled in a few areas, including the power-play (3 for 12). Foothill finished 2 for 8.
“We’re going to take the win,” Damato said. “(But) we’re definitely going to go back and look at what we can do better.”
Foothill opened a 2-0 lead on first-period strikes by Julia Sellers and Krista Schneider. The Knights erased a two-goal deficit in the second half to tie the score, 5-5, on a cross-cage lob by Emily Konishi from 7 meters with 3:26 left in the fourth.
“(We’re) sad that we lost, but I think everyone is coming out of the game really motivated because we made a nine-goal (improvement),” said Sellers, whose squad also got 10 saves from Kenzi Snyder.
In the South Coast League:
No. 10 El Toro 8, No. 7 San Clemente 7: Maddy Damato scored twice and played strong 2-meter defense and Tori Rainone added eight saves and four steals to lead the visiting Chargers (7-3, 1-0), who led, 8-4, late in the third.
“It was a very good win for us,” El Toro coach Justin Johnson said. “In my opinion, we’re two of the best teams in Division 2 and in league.”
Damato, the sister of Laguna Beach coach Ethan Damato, mostly guarded San Clemente standout center Amber McCutcheon. “She did a phenomenal job,” Johnson said of Damato.
No. 5 Orange Lutheran 11, Cathedral Catholic 10: Myna Simmons had five goals, two assists and five steals to lead the Lancers at Santiago Canyon College. Orange Lutheran led, 11-7, in the fourth period and held on.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
