Roberts’ six goals help Sailors advance

NEWPORT BEACH — Two days after allowing one top-notch player to score six goals, Huntington Beach High couldn’t afford to do so again in the postseason.

Newport Harbor’s Sarah Roberts showed why Thursday.

Roberts recorded a season-high six goals, as the senior led the fourth-seeded Sailors past the Oilers, 10-2, in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.

Huntington Beach Coach Stalin Reyes expected Roberts to be a factor. And the two-meter player bound for Michigan burned the Oilers.

Huntington Beach advanced to the first round after escaping Tuesday’s wild-card match, where UCLA recruit Kelsey McGinley scored six times for Laguna Hills. But the defense couldn’t just focus on just one Newport Harbor player like it did in the 11-7 victory over Laguna Hills.

Newport Harbor (19-9) is loaded, with Roberts, who now has 52 goals, showcasing in the first round that the Sailors have a legit shot to repeat as section champs.

Roberts wasn’t going to let a shaky start against the Oilers (19-11) get in the way of pursuing that. After Newport Harbor went into the second quarter up, 2-1, Roberts exploded.

“We had to win,” said Roberts for being accountable for six of her team’s first eight goals. “It’s really hard defending your championship, just because everybody is out to get you. It takes a lot more [effort] and a lot more mental capacity to work back up to the top.”

The next step for the Sailors is a showdown Tuesday in the quarterfinals at Santa Margarita (15-13), ranked No. 5 in the final CIF Division I poll.

Santa Margarita, the Trinity League champ, beat Newport Harbor, 5-3, the Sunset League champ, at Saddleback College on Jan. 26. It’s a match familiar to Newport goalie Morgan Vickers. The Eagles jumped out to a 4-0 advantage at halftime.

“They were good shooters outside and we just defensively weren’t ready,” said Vickers of the Eagles, who beat Schurr, 19-2, to advance to the quarterfinals.

As for what the Sailors need to do against Santa Margarita, she added: “Just be ready.”

They’ll have to, with Santa Margarita boasting attacker Kacey Anderson, who’s scored 59 goals, and four others with 20 or more goals. The Sailors are also balanced on offense, with Mimi Bury (34 goals), Allyssa Peterson (24) and Jillian Chiapuzio (23).

Those three Sailors didn’t score Thursday, with Marisa Cottam and Kaleigh Gilchrist adding two goals each. But Chiapuzio did finish with a season-high six steals. The Sailors are looking forward to facing Santa Margarita again.

“There’s going to be so many challenges,” said Roberts of going up against a program winning 11 of its last 12 matches. “We’re ready for redemption and ready to beat them.”

CIF Southern SectionFirst round

Division I Playoffs

Newport Harbor 10,

Huntington Beach 2

Score by Quarters

Huntington 1 0 0 1 — 2

Newport 2 3 3 2 — 10

Huntington Beach -- Trella 1, Van Doomum 1. Saves -- Reilly 8.

Newport Harbor -- Roberts 6, Cottam 2, Gilchrist 2. Saves -- Vickers 9.