San Marcos’ girls water polo team picked up two wins and the consolation title at the SoCal Championships on Saturday, finishing off the tournament with an exciting 7-6 overtime victory over Arroyo Grande.
Hannah Koper scored her only goal of the game a minute into the first sudden-death overtime period to lift the Royals. San Marcos killed a penalty to start the extra period before Halie Johnson drew an ejection for the Royals on their next possession. Koper then scored on an off-speed, cross-cage shot.
San Marcos outscored Arroyo Grande 3-0 in the fourth quarter just to force overtime.
“I think the kids really dug deep going into that fourth quarter,” said Royals head coach Chuckie Roth.
Rose Koper tallied a team-high three goals while part-time JV player Miranda Day came through with two scores. Roth also noted a huge save by Alex Brown on a 5-meter penalty shot in the third quarter.
San Marcos defeated Irvine 7-4 in the earlier game. Rose Koper was the team’s leading scorer in this one as well, posting three more goals. Hannah Koper added two, with Johnson and Brittny Hummel each scoring once.
Roth pointed out that the Royals held Irvine 0-for-6 in man-up situations, crediting Hummel and Brown for being defensive stalwarts.
Brown recorded 13 saves and five steals in the two games.
San Marcos faces Dos Pueblos a second time next week before awaiting their playoff opponent as the Channel League’s third-place team.
