Eagles go extra for win

Patrick Laverty

Estancia High’s Lauren Mahan and Courtney Hess each scored in the

second half of the overtime period Monday as the Eagles came from

behind to defeat Sage Hill, 9-7, in a nonleague girls water polo game

at Corona del Mar High.

It was the second straight win to open the season for Estancia.

“We’re 2-0, which we’re very excited about,” Eagles Coach Bob

Bandaruk said.

The Lightning (2-5) provided a stiffer test than Bolsa Grande,

which the Eagles defeated 18-2 Friday, and used five goals from

senior captain Hayden Hutchinson to overcome an early 3-1 deficit.

Hutchinson tied the score for the first time since 0-0 when she

scored off an entry pass into set from Elle White with 2:55 remaining

in the third quarter, knotting the teams at 3-3. She then gave the

Lightning its first lead of the game with 1:56 remaining in the

period, shooting into the upper-left corner after an Estancia

ejection gave Sage a 6-on-5 situation.

“We relaxed [after halftime], slowed down and started to move the

ball around,” Hutchinson said.

After the teams traded goals in the final minute of the quarter,

Kaplan tied the score, 5-5, with a shot from midpool as time expired.

Sage Hill took the lead again in the fourth quarter and in the

first half of the overtime period, both times on goals from

Hutchinson, but each time Estancia responded.

“They never gave up,” Bandaruk said. “That’s very big.”

Mahan scored off an assist from Marilyn Reich, who led the Eagles

with three goals, with 1:12 remaining to tie the score, 6-6, and send

the game into overtime.

With 13 seconds remaining in the first half of overtime, Kaplan

scored off a pass from Carolina Barnes, tying the score, 7-7.

The Lightning had an opportunity to retake the lead in the opening

moments of the second half of overtime, but a shot went off the post.

After Sage Hill goalie Katherine Bishop made a strong save on Kaplan,

Mahan scored with 1:24 remaining to give Estancia its first lead

since midway through the third quarter. Hess added a counter-attack

goal in the waning seconds.

Eagles goalie Katie Mahan made 10 stops for Estancia, while Lauren

Mahan and Kaplan each scored twice and Hess and Barnes added one goal

each.

Bishop finished with 11 saves for the Lightning. Stephanie Roeser

and Devin Tooma added goals, in addition to Hutchinson’s scores.

*--*

Nonleague

Estancia 9, Sage Hill 7

Score by Quarters

Estancia 1 2 2 1 1 2 -- 9

Sage Hill 0 2 3 1 1 0 -- 7

Estancia -- Kaplan 2, Hess 1, L. Mahan 2,

Reich 3, Barnes 1. Saves -- K. Mahan 10.

Sage Hill -- Roeser 1, Tooma 1, Hutchinson

5. Saves -- Bishop 11.

*--*