Huntington Beach’s girls water polo team encountered the type of challenge Friday night that it struggled to conquer last winter: tight score against a quality opponent.
But a new season is underway and the Oilers’ experience and improved consistency helped them score a breakthrough in the quarterfinals of the Villa Park Classic.
Sophomore Courtney Heydorff scored three goals to lead five players in scoring and junior Marina Hyham made 11 saves, including one on a penalty shot, as the host No. 8 Oilers held off San Diego powerhouse and third-seeded The Bishop’s of La Jolla, 8-7, to reach the semifinals for the first time.
“The last three years, we’ve had this team growing,” Huntington Beach coach Mark Canner said. “These are some of the best games we’ve played.”
The Oilers (5-0) play Dos Pueblos of Goleta, an 8-7 winner in overtime against La Canada, in the semifinals today at 10 a.m. at Beckman. Second-seeded Dos Pueblos has a trio of players on the U.S. team bound for the FINA youth worlds in New Zealand.
Huntington Beach trailed The Bishop’s (2-1), the reigning open division champion in San Diego, once early.
The Oilers used a strong 2-meter attack to open a 3-1 lead at halftime and led, 6-2, going into the fourth.
Kali Hyham scored her first of two goals from center with 14 seconds left in the second period and Ally Long scored on a power play off a cross pass by Julia Rozolis-Hill with 6 seconds left in the third.
Cal-bound Georgia Gilmore scored three of her match-high four goals in the fourth to spark The Bishop’s but the Oilers responded. Lauren Smith scored from center to give Huntington Beach an 8-5 lead with 1:29 left in the fourth and Rozolis-Hill made a key steal on the perimeter with about 40 seconds left.
In another quarterfinal:
No. 6 Los Alamitos 8, Los Osos 4: Katie Dvonch scored four goals and Tara DeBrabander made 14 saves at Villa Park to lead the Griffins (5-0), who play top-seed Orange Lutheran next.
In nonleague:
No. 9 Newport Harbor 7, No. 4 Foothill 5: Jessica Lynch, Sarah Barker and Karis Couch scored twice to lead the host Sailors (3-0).
Contact the writer: dalbano@scng.com
