LAGUNA BEACH Laguna Beach’s boys water polo team found the right combination Thursday to strengthen its grip atop Division 3.
The Breakers, ranked No. 1 in the division, started fast and finished strong to defeat second-ranked Murrieta Valley, 11-6, in a nonleague match.
Laguna Beach (13-4) scored the first three goals and led, 5-1, after the first period. But after the middle periods belonged to Murrieta Valley (12-7), the Breakers scored the first four goals of the fourth quarter to take control for good.
Trent Sadler and Aki Andersen helped spark the strong finish by connecting late in the third period. With Laguna Beach leading, 6-5, late in the third, Andersen grabbed a steal and quickly drew an exclusion, leading to power-play strike by Sadler for a 7-5 lead.
Early in the fourth, Sadler took a pass from Andersen and scored on a lob shot from the point and about a minute later, scored on a quickly-released power-play shot on a cross-pass from Andersen to make it 9-5.
Sadler finished with three goals while Andersen tallied three assists.
Cade Baldridge sparked Laguna Beach’s fast start by scoring three of his game-high five goals in the opening frame.
Laguna Beach’s Jack Dodson drew five exclusions and scored twice but the Breakers struggled on the power-play, going 3 for 10. Murrieta Valley also had a difficult time with the extra attacker, finishing 3 for 9.
Laguna Beach also overcame 16 save by Murrieta Valley goalie Taylor Miller and Jakob Colladay fouling out with 49 seconds left in the first half. Colladay picked up two fouls in a second period that saw Laguna Beach Ethan Damato receive a yellow card for arguing with an official.
Breakers goalie Garret Hartley made 10 saves.
