The Hilltop High School girls water polo team captured last year’s San Diego Section Division III championship in a first for the west side Chula Vista school. The Lady Lancers have been elevated to Division II status this season and the team has promptly reeled off a 4-0 start in non-league play to acknowledge that.
Hilltop’s latest victory came Wednesday, Dec. 11, against San Dieguito Academy at the Parkway pool. The Lady Lancers won 10-2 after building a 6-0 lead in the contest.
“We need a lot of work but we have our girls practicing,” HHS head coach Ernie Medina admitted after the early season game.
But the pieces are coming together for the Lady Lancers.
Sophia Espinoza, last year’s Division III Player of the Year, has returned to the team’s line-up. She scored the opening two goals in Wednesday’s match-up against the Lady Mustangs and finished the game with three goals.
Those are good numbers for primarily a defensive player.
“In the last three games she had 13 steals,” Medina noted.
Frances Carreon led the offense against SDA with four goals.
Hilltop faces its first Metro Conference opponent on Wednesday, Jan. 17, when it hosts Olympian in a 3 p.m. contest at the Parkway pool.
The Lady Lancers host Eastlake on Jan. 19 and Otay Ranch on Jan. 24, also at 3 p.m. at the Parkway pool.
Hilltop’s home schedule shifts to the Las Palmas pool after Jan. 31.
Bonita Vista defeated Eastlake, 17-8, on Thursday, Jan. 12, to join Mar Vista at the top of the Mesa League standings after the Lady Mariners previously defeated host Otay Ranch, 11-6, on Tuesday, Jan. 10.
“The team to watch for is Mar Vista (last year’s Division II champion) and then Bonita Vista, but don’t count us out,” Medina said.
Mar Vista, which has moved up to the Division I competition tier this year, improved to 4-6 overall following the win over Otay Ranch. Bonita Vista improved to 5-0 on the season following its league-opening win over Eastlake.
