The thud from the late save by San Clemente goalie Victoria Reardon reached every corner of a crowded pool deck Wednesday.
Tera Richardson not only heard the vibration from her teammate’s play with about two minutes left against No. 10 El Toro, she felt the impact.
“It was good momentum,” Richardson said. “She’s a great goalie.”
Richardson delivered her own big play seconds later. She scored off a direct shot from 5 meters with 1:43 left in the fourth period to help the Tritons’ girls water polo team upset the two-time defending South Coast League champion, 8-6, at San Clemente High in the teams’ first of two league duels.
Richardson’s strike off a foul outside 5 meters lifted the Tritons (7-5, 2-0) to an 8-6 lead but Reardon wasn’t done.
After blocking the attempt from the wing by hard-throwing Dayna Tatum, Reardon made a thumping save with 1:34 left against another shot from the wing. The senior added another block with about 50 seconds left, helping the Tritons snap a four-match losing streak against their rival.
“I just I knew I had to get them,” said Reardon, who made four of her six saves in the final seven minutes. “This was a big confidence booster.”
San Clemente blends key seniors Reardon and Richardson with a lineup featuring emerging sophomore Brooklyn Aguilera and freshmen Grace Pelkey, defender Savannah Burns and Caroline Christl.
Pelkey, Burns and Richardson each recorded two field blocks while Christl made a steal with 45 seconds left.
San Clemente played a drop defense against center Haley Hagerty and held the San Diego State-bound senior scoreless in the second half.
The Tritons converted six of their first seven chances on the power play and finished 6 for 11. Aguilera scored all of her match-high four goals on the power play.
The power-play efficiency also helped San Clemente turn the tide against El Toro, which edged the Tritons, 11-10, in the consolation final of the Villa Park Classic last month. Tatum scored a buzzer-beater from the perimeter that match.
On Wednesday, El Toro (5-5, 0-1) finished 2 for 7 on the power play.
Jessica Rodriguez sparked the Chargers in the second half, scoring twice on counterattack to draw El Toro within, 6-5, and, 7-6, with 5:28 left in the fourth. Rodriguez and Hagerty each finished with two goals.
In recent seasons, the El Toro-San Clemente rivalry also heavily impacted the outlook in Division 2. The schools played for the Division 2 crown in 2015. But with both teams now looking to reload in a loaded Division 1, their duel centers on the South Coast title and a home playoff game in the first round.
“League bragging rights is always fun,” El Toro coach Justin Johnson said.
In the Orange League:
Santa Ana Valley 13, Savanna 5: Alyna Suarez racked up five goals, three assists and three steals to lead the first-place Falcons (14-3, 1-0).
Contact the writer: dalbano@scng.com