Oilers get payback

Two days after losing to rival Newport Harbor, the Huntington Beach High girls’ field hockey team got another chance Saturday at the 2009 Orange County Field Hockey Tournament.

This time, the Oilers made the most of their opportunity.

They beat Newport Harbor, 1-0, in the championship game of the eight-team tournament at Marina High. Sophomore Lindsey Walter scored the only goal, assisted by Jessica Van Arsdale.

“It was good,” Huntington Coach Cathy Van Doornum said. “We played at Newport on Thursday and we didn’t play all that well. I thought if we played smarter, we’d have a good chance. We were lucky in the tournament, in that we scored early.”

Huntington Beach senior goalie Maelen Lockhart had three crucial goalie saves and defenders Stephanie Walter and Lindsay Sebastian helped shut out the Sailors despite the opponent having nine penalty short corners.

Stephanie Walter was awarded the tournament MVP and joined on the all-tournament team by midfielders Brooke Berns, Meagen Good and Claire Prestridge.

“It was a good feeling,” Stephanie Walter said. “We were really happy to come back and put [Newport] away in the tournament. We really needed that.”

In the past when Huntington Beach has won the tournament, the MVP has gone to an offensive player.

But Van Doornum really values the defensive contributions of Walter and Lockhart, as well as seniors Prestridge and Taryn Rescigno. All four players have been starting since they were sophomores.

The Oilers advanced to the championship by beating Glendora (2-0), Edison (2-0) and Marina (4-1) in their pool.

Fountain Valley, which finished second to Newport Harbor in the other pool, finished fourth overall.