Girls’ Water Polo: Mesa keeps the bell

Coaches on both sides of the pool deck Wednesday were quite familiar with the Battle for the Bell water polo match.

Costa Mesa High co-coaches Cody and Dustin Serrano played in the boys’ rivalry game for the Mustangs. Estancia Coach Amber Peters also played in the contest for the Eagles girls, as did her assistant coach Emily Kaplan.

“It’s kind of funny,” Peters said. “We graduated the same year, ‘09, both Emily and I and then Dustin and Cody. We all graduated in ’09.”

Mesa is used to winning the Bell game on the boys’ side. On the girls’ side, the Mustangs have been even more dominant, never losing the Battle for the Bell game.

With all the familiarity on the deck, it was a new face who helped make sure that streak continued.

Costa Mesa freshman center Alessia Vitiello scored a game-high five goals and the Mustangs prevailed, 14-5, at Estancia High.

Vitiello, the Mustangs’ leading scorer, has stepped up this season for Costa Mesa (5-10, 1-1 in league). Senior Lauren Smith decided not to play water polo this year due to a heavy course load at school and job, Dustin Serrano said. Smith scored 95 goals last year for Mesa and was a Newport-Mesa Dream Team selection.

“She did play throughout the summer with us,” Dustin Serrano said. “Near school starting, she saw how hard it was going to be, and she had to take a step back.”

Vitiello, who the Serrano twins have coached through Costa Mesa Aquatics Club, has taken a step forward as a freshman. On top of that, she’s a left-hander, which is rare for the center position and can catch defenses off-guard.

“When she wants to be aggressive, she’s very talented,” Dustin Serrano said. “She came out playing her aggressive game today, and really worked hard. She gave us 110% for all her shots. Having a lefty in there is kind of like having a secret weapon. Most two-meter [players] are usually righties. She’s just so big and so talented, we had to play her there.

“I think she’s nervous fitting in those big shoes, trying to be the star of the team. She never really had that opportunity coming up through club. But for her age, she plays with very good composure. She never really gets frustrated when she messes up, and it’s fun to watch. She plays with a good maturity.”

Costa Mesa started the game strong against Estancia (3-9, 0-1). The visitors opened up a 6-0 lead midway through the second quarter, when senior Yessenia Villa scored on the power play. Vitiello scored three of the first four goals, with senior co-captain Bridgette Smitheram also making an open look and senior Kirsten Gyorgy burying a power-play chance.

But Estancia battled back, cutting the deficit to 7-3 by halftime. Eagles senior captain Jenna Rutledge, who led everyone with five steals in the game, scored from way outside with 43 seconds left in the first half. Then, Eagles sophomore Darby Lester added a six-on-five strike at the halftime buzzer. The shot excited her mom, Estancia softball coach Carrie Lester, as she stood poolside.

Peters said that Darby Lester, who shared the team lead of two goals with senior Natalie Smith, is currently playing through a torn shoulder tendon.

“We’re trying to keep her out as much as we can,” said Peters, whose team also was missing junior center Maraide Green (concussion). “But she has that fire in her. She wants to get in.”

Costa Mesa took a 10-5 lead after three quarters and also finished strong, holding Estancia scoreless in the final frame. Smitheram had four goals for Mesa and sophomore Brenna Alvis, a multi-sport star who only started playing water polo this season, scored twice. Senior co-captain and defender Melissa Folkerts added a goal for the Mustangs, and senior goalie Antonia Velasquez made nine saves and recorded four steals.

Junior Alex Adkisson, who moved from starting goalie to a field player this season, made three steals for Estancia. The player who replaced Adkisson in goal, sophomore Hannah Smith, was impressive in recording 15 saves, including 11 in the first half.

Peters said, despite the loss, this was one of the best games she’s seen from her team.

“We were just throwing away a couple of passes, taking some outside shots that were not needed,” she said. “But we were definitely moving a lot more, driving a lot more. And our defense was very aggressive.”

The goal for both teams is to make the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs, which will require a top-three finish in league. Laguna Beach, the defending Division 1 champion which routed Costa Mesa 23-0 in the teams’ league opener last week, is a huge favorite to repeat as a league champion.

Estancia continues league play by playing host to Laguna Beach on Wednesday, while Costa Mesa plays Godinez at Santa Ana Valley High.

The Mustangs, who finished third in league a year ago, like their chances to return to the postseason, even without Smith.

“Being a senior, whether or not we lost one [player] or gained one, we all have to work together as a team,” Folkerts said. “There is some leadership, but it’s definitely the whole entire team. We all work hard and work together.”