Talk about a good matchup.
Less than 24 hours after San Marcos’ girls water polo team beat visiting Ventura on a game-winner with nine seconds to go, the two teams went at it again in the Royals’ pool on Friday afternoon.
It was the same level of excitement, but there was a different team smiling at the end of the match as Ventura scored on a long-range shot with 40 seconds to go to seal an 11-10 victory. It guaranteed Stanford-bound star Alexis Lee and her Cougars a playoff spot, but San Marcos is cautiously optimistic that it will also receive a bid come Monday’s bracket-release.
“You don’t want to count your chickens before they hatch,” said Royals coach Brian Roth, who has never been to the postseason with the Royals in his five seasons at the helm.
Jade Wentz Fitzgerald scored five goals despite facing Cougar double-teams the whole day, including three from way out near mid-pool in the second half that kept things close. But the Royals also missed some opportunities that they needed to capitalize on. San Marcos had a 10-9 lead with just over a minute to go, but Lee was awarded a penalty shot which tied it up, and Ventura netted the winner just 20 seconds later.
“Unfortunately we shot over the cage way too much,” said Roth. “It’s a tough way to lose a match.”
What makes it even tougher is that the Royals lost to Ventura in the exact same play-in scenario two years ago, keeping San Marcos out of the playoffs.
The Royals fell behind 3-1 after one quarter on Friday, but they had climbed back from a 4-1 deficit Thursday and looked confident in climbing back into the game.
Royals goalie Autumn Lovett said that facing a player of Lee’s caliber was not intimidating.
“I think it’s encouraging. It actually just makes me want to do better,” she said.
Lee finished with four goals on the day. The Royals wrapped up the regular season with a winning record at 15-14, the first year over .500 under Roth.
VENTURA 11, SAN MARCOS 10
Ventura……3 2 2 4 — 11
San Marcos…..1 3 3 3 — 10
Goal — V: Lee 4, Hansen 3, McCaslin, Shroder, Krumplor; SM: Wentz Fitzgerald 5, Kirker 2, Chardon, Hummel, Sukavivatanachai.
Goalie saves — SM: Lovett 3.
Records —SM 15-14.
