CdM, Sailors battle familiar rivals

The nature of girls’ water polo this season has led Corona del Mar High and Newport Harbor into CIF Southern Section Division I quarterfinal matches today against teams the two recently faced.

The No. 4-seeded Sailors will travel to Saddleback College to take on Santa Margarita at 3:15 p.m. Newport Harbor, the defending Division I champion, lost to Santa Margarita, 5-3, on Jan. 26 in a road game for the Sailors.

El Toro will play host to the No. 2-seeded Sea Kings at 3:15 p.m. Corona del Mar defeated El Toro, 6-3, at home on Feb. 9. The Sea Kings controlled the match from the outset, shutting out El Toro in the first period.

Senior Katie Indvik led the team with three goals in what was the Sea Kings’ second-to-last regular-season game.

Corona del Mar Coach Aaron Chaney said three areas will be crucial for the Sea Kings against El Toro: counterattack, executing on offense, and executing on defense.

CdM also defeated the Eagles in the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions, 8-1. Corona del Mar jumped ahead, 4-0, and never looked back.

In the second meeting, the score was 2-1 at halftime, but Chaney said it could have been 5-1.

“Any time you play a team three times it will get tougher and tougher,” Chaney said. “Their desire gets deeper. I don’t think a lot of team’s can stay with us. Last game, our defense was good, but we missed on some counterattack opportunities.”

Heather Van Hiel will guard El Toro’s top player, Larissa Todisco, Chaney said.

Chaney added that the high level of quarterfinal competition will benefit the Sea Kings, who have won five straight section titles, the past four coming in Division II.

“It’s a little different this year,” Chaney said. “Before, we had no competition in the quarterfinals. It’s good for the girls.”

Senior Cari Levine said at this time of year, players are nervous and excited.

“We know there aren’t second chances anymore,” Levine said. “Everyone is set on our ultimate goal of winning CIF.”

While Corona del Mar is focused on repeating what it did right in the previous meeting with its quarterfinal opponent, the Sailors plan to change two areas that led to defeat at the hands of the Eagles.

Newport Harbor fell behind, 4-0, at halftime. The Sailors took a high volume of shots, but misfired, as Santa Margarita goalkeeper Stephanie Peckham made 12 saves.

“A lot of shots were ill-placed, either right at the goalie or wide of the cage,” Sailors Coach Bill Barnett said. “I just think we’ll be better prepared. [The Sailors] are very upbeat and ready to go.”

Newport Harbor senior Sarah Roberts said the team realizes any game could be its last.

“You have to step up and play like it’s your last game,” Roberts said. “If you win, it isn’t your last game, but if you lose, it is. And you want to end the season saying ‘I tried my hardest’ rather than thinking about what you could have done.

“We’re definitely pumped up. We’re really focused.”

With a victory, both Back Bay squads will advance to Friday’s semifinals at Irvine High.