Not many would have thought that Dos Pueblos would have to kill the clock to hold on to a one-goal lead in the final seconds of Thursday’s water polo match against visiting Santa Barbara. But there was Kiley Neushul, hanging back on DP’s side of the pool awaiting the buzzer as the top-ranked Chargers held on for a 6-5 win over their crosstown rivals. Santa Barbara actually got the ball on a shot clock violation with one second left but it wasn’t enough time to get a shot off.
Kiley Neushul scored three goals for Dos Pueblos (photos by Vince Agapito).
One team’s always got to win, but there was a strong sense of winning on both sides. On one hand, the No. 4 Dons (8-4, 2-1 Channel League) proved what they are capable of — particularly on defense — while the Chargers (10-0, 2-0) got to play in a second consecutive close match, something that hasn’t happened regularly in the past couple of seasons. Dos Pueblos trailed at halftime for the second straight match, 3-2, before scoring four goals in the third quarter.
Neushul led the way with three goals for DP, which has now won 46 consecutive matches dating back to 2009. Makenzy Fowler and Betsy Hendrix each scored twice for the Dons.
Santa Barbara held the Chargers scoreless in both the second and fourth quarters, as goalie Maddie Trabucco made 13 saves in the cage.
“I definitely feel like we gained momentum. Most teams who have played them haven’t even gotten within a goal of them, so to be able to compete with them is an accomplishment and now we know what we’re capable of,” said Trabucco.
Cal-bound DP senior Tiera Schroeder saw the competitiveness as a positive.
“These close matches are good, because in the long run you end up knowing what you need to work on. When we were behind at halftime we knew we had to stay calm and just come out strong in the third quarter, and we did,” she said.
Claire Bergthold of Santa Barbara scores one of her two goals.
The Chargers took a 6-4 lead on a Neushul goal with 1:47 to go in the third quarter. Things were scoreless until Santa Barbara’s Betsy Hendrix buried a straightaway shot from about five meters to make it a one-goal game. The Chargers had a 6-on-5 opportunity to make it a two-possession game in the final minute, but Trabucco made a big save. Santa Barbara, however, couldn’t find the equalizer.
Both teams play their next matches on Tuesday when the Dons host Mater Dei and the Chargers host Laguna Beach. The Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions will begin on Friday.
DOS PUEBLOS 6, SANTA BARBARA 5
Santa Barbara…1 2 1 1 — 6
Dos Pueblos…2 0 4 0 — 5
Goals — SB: Bergthold 1, Fowler 2, BHendrix 2. DP: JNeushul 3, JNeushul 1, Hill 1, Schroeder 1.
Goalie saves — SB: Trabucco 13, DP: Vilander 5.
Santa Barbara goalie Maddie Trabucco in action.
Prediction – Dos Pueblos goes down in the final of the TOC to Los Alamitos. Even U Conn womens basketball team had to lose eventually.