San Marcos rallied from a three-goal deficit at halftime against Corona del Mar and upset the CIF Division 1 fourth-ranked girls water polo team, 6-5, to advance to the semifinals of the Southern California Championships in Irvine on Friday.
The Royals will play No. 1 and undefeated Laguna Beach in one semifinal match.
After being down 5-2 against the Sea Queens, San Marcos stepped up its game in the second half and took the lead. Corona del Mar had a chance to tie the score with 18 seconds left but its effort was unsuccessful.
Coach Chuckie Roth credited the team’s defense with the win.
“We were able to shut down CDM on many 5-on-6 situations,” he said. “We played really well all game but struggled early putting away our shots. After the second half, more shots went in.
“The win was a team effort and truly a great representation of what the Royals have to offer this season, and looking forward to the postseason.”
