The Olympian High School girls water polo team made history by recording a win in the team’s first-ever playoff game after defeating the Oceanside Pirates, 14-3, in a Division III first-round elimination game Tuesday evening at the Loma Verde pool.
The sixth-seeded Eagles (14-14) advance to Thursday’s Division III quarterfinal contest against third-seeded San Ysidro (17-10) at La Jolla High School. Game time is 6:30 p.m.
The teams shared this year’s South Bay League championship, so Thursday’s playoff match should be quite interesting.
OHS head coach Caroyln Lechner called it a season of firsts for her team.
“We won our first league title, qualified for our first CIF playoff game and won our first CIF playoff game – all of them firsts for our team,” she noted. “It’s amazing. It’s only my first year coaching and it’s been rewarding watching these kids grow and learn the sport of water polo and have a real passion in what they’re doing to make history.”
The Eagles left little doubt as to the better team in the water after building an 8-1 halftime lead.
Cassandra Greene lead Olympian with five goals in the victory while Anissa Paul scored four goals, Chelsea Samperio scored three goals and Samantha Burden and Maddie Christiansen each scored one goal.
Maddie Mendler made seven goalie saves to hold off 11th-seeded Oceanside (1-17).
Lauryn Howell led the Pirates with two goals in the playoff loss.
Paul recently set a new single-game section record with 16 goals in a 16-3 South Bay League win over Montgomery while Greene set a new single-game section record with nine assists (tied for fourth in the record book) in the same game.
Olympian and San Yisdro shared this year’s South Bay League title with identical 9-1 records. The Eagles forced the co-championship by defeating the Cougars, 8-6, in the teams’ last league meeting of the season.
Olympian raced out to a 6-1 first quarter lead that proved decisive in the win.
“We prepared for them with an emphasis on defense,” Lechner explained. “They have a great team of knowledgeable seniors, so we felt defense was the best way to play them. We were very strong against them.”
However, the cat is now out of the bag and Lechner expects the Cougars to come prepared for her team in their next meeting.
“It should be a great game between our two teams,” Lechner said.
Certainly a lot is at stake: the winner advances to the division semifinals.
San Diego Section Girls Water Polo Playoff Seeding
Division II
Metro Conference qualifiers
(2) Mar Vista (21-7, 10 in league)
(9) Bonita Vista (17-9, 6-4 in league)
(10) Hilltop (13-11, 5-5 in league)
First round:
Tuesday, Feb. 17
(2) Mar Vista (21-7), bye to Friday’s quarterfinals
(9) Bonita Vista (17-9) at (8) La Costa Canyon (13-13), 8 p.m. at Ecke YMCA
(10) Hilltop (13-11) at (7) Poway (11-14), 4 p.m. at Rancho Bernardo HS
Results:
Poway 10, Hilltop 6
La Costa Canyon 7, Bonita Vista 2
Quarterfinal round:
Friday, Feb. 20
(La Jolla High School)
(2) Mar Vista (21-7) vs. (7) Poway (12-14), 7:45 p.m.
Result:
Mar Vista 7, Poway 5
Semifinal round:
Tuesday, Feb. 24
(La Jolla High School)
(2) Mar Vista (22-7) vs. (3) El Camino (18-9), 7:30 p.m.
Division III
Metro Conference qualifiers
(1) Eastlake (14-12, 6-4 in league)
(3) San Ysidro (17-10, 9-1 in league)
(6) Olympian (13-14, 9-1 in league)
(8) Castle Park (6-5, 5-5 in league)
(9) Mater Dei Catholic (2-22, 0-10 in league)
First round:
Tuesday, Feb. 17
(1) Eastlake (14-12) receives bye to Thursday’s quarterfinals
(3) San Ysidro (17-10) receives bye to Thursday’s quarterfinals
(8) Castle Park (6-5) at (9) Mater Dei Catholic (2-22), 3 p.m.
(11) Oceanside (1-16) vs. (6) Olympian (13-14), 7:15 p.m. at Loma Verde pool
Results:
Olympian 14, Oceanside 3
Mater Dei Catholic 13, Castle Park 4
Quarterfinals round:
Thursday, Feb. 19
(La Jolla High School)
(1) Eastlake (14-12) vs. (9) Mater Dei Catholic (3-22), 4 p.m.
(3) San Ysidro (17-10) vs. (6) Olympian (14-14), 6:30 p.m.
Results:
Eastlake 18, Mater Dei Catholic 5
San Ysidro 7, Olympian 6
Note: Brianna Mullalley scored eight goals for Eastlake
Semifinal round:
Monday, Feb. 23
(La Jolla High School)
(1) Eastlake (15-12) vs. (5) San Marcos (12-16), 5:45 p.m.
(3) San Ysidro (18-10) vs. (7) San Pasqual (10-18), 7:30 p.m.
