Sea Queens Stay Focused in Shutting Down Santa Barbara

Before the start of Corona del Mar High girls water polo game in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs Friday, there was already news swirling around that fourth-seeded Newport Harbor had lost to Laguna Beach and second-seeded Los Alamitos had fallen to Foothill. And the 5 p.m. scheduled start had been moved to 5:30 p.m. because one of the referees was stuck in traffic.

The game didn’t actually start until almost 6 p.m., and the distractions had been mounting for hours. Still, the Sea Queens were able to stay focused on a dangerous Santa Barbara squad as they took control early and never let the Dons in the game, en route to a 10-5 victory that puts third-seeded Corona del Mar  into the quarterfinals against Foothill.

Corona del Mar held the Dons to only one goal in the first half as it dominated the action from the opening whistle. Some strong saves by Santa Barbara goalkeeper Maddie Trabuco kept the Dons close early as the Sea Queens held only a 1-0 lead after the first quarter.

But the Sea Queens began to find their shots in the second. Junior utility player Diana Murphy scored on a shot to the left side from two meters just 49 seconds into the second quarter. A few minutes later, she connected again on a quick shot from three meters off a crossing pass from Ally McCormick.

“I think the girls played an incredible game," Corona del Mar coach Sam Bailey said. "I thought they played with every ounce of heart that they have.”

Santa Barbara finally got on the board with a shot from the left side by Charlotte Hendrix. But the Sea Queens answered back with a quick shot off a crossing pass by sophomore attacker Cassidy Papa. Papa, Murphy and McCormick each had three goals to lead Corona del Mar. Junior Pippa Saunders had one goal and goalie Alex Musselman had 10 saves and three assists.

But the big star for the Sea Queens was their defense, which held the Dons to only three goals in the first three quarters and had the game in hand early in the fourth. Bailey said the defense came down to effort, attitude and challenging every Santa Barbara player.

 “The girls’ defensive awareness was just sharp tonight,” Bailey said.

The Sea Queens will play Foothill on Wednesday at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center at Irvine High on Wednesday, for a chance to advance to the finals on Saturday.