Girls’ Water Polo: Mustangs fall, but reach playoffs

Costa Mesa High senior co-captain Melissa Folkerts smiled as she waited on the lane line prior to Wednesday’s Orange Coast League girls’ water polo game.

“Last league game ever, ladies,” Folkerts said to her fellow senior starters, Kirsten Gyorgy, Bridgette Smitheram and Yessenia Villa. “Last league game ever.”

Folkerts wanted to make it count. Twice in the fourth quarter she sunk deep shots from mid-tank, trying to bring Costa Mesa back from a deficit against Saddleback.

But the visiting Roadrunners were just a bit too strong, earning a 13-7 win in what indeed was the last league game ever for the Mustangs’ six seniors.

Saddleback (16-8, 2-1 in league) can clinch outright second place in the league by winning at Estancia next week. Costa Mesa (8-14, 2-2) will more than likely finish alone in third place for the second straight year, also advancing to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.

Undefeated Laguna Beach, the top-ranked team in Division 1, always has owned the league. The Breakers are on the way to their ninth straight league title since the league was formed in 2006-07, but the battle for second place often has been competitive.

“This was the game we were looking forward to all year,” said Saddleback Coach Sam Gonzalez, whose team never trailed.

The visitors, for whom seniors Patricia Palacios and Melissa Salazar each scored four goals, built a 3-0 lead after the first quarter. Late in the quarter, the Mustangs had a good chance, but Smitheram’s counterattack shot went off the left post.

In the scuffle that followed, Smitheram, a co-captain, was issued a flagrant misconduct penalty. Saddleback senior Brenda Cortes, who finished with three goals, made the resulting penalty shot.

“I think having that whole situation happen was a big loss,” Costa Mesa Co-Coach Dustin Serrano said. “Pretty much, we shut down that second quarter.”

The Mustangs didn’t score until senior Emily Ly buried a shot from six meters with 4:21 left in the half. They trailed, 4-1, at halftime.

Saddleback extended its lead in the second half despite Folkerts’ two goals. Villa, sophomores Brenna Alvis and Kintak Keju, as well as freshman Alessia Vitiello, all scored single goals for Costa Mesa.

Saddleback was strong on the counterattack, earning nine power-play opportunities and converting four. Mesa was just one for two.

“We came out strong,” Gonzalez said. “The girls were really, really nervous, so I just tried to calm them down and play our game. They did really well. Defensively, they shut down [the Mustangs’] best players. Offensively, we executed on our advantages.”

Costa Mesa sophomore Michelle Vu, usually the Mustangs’ junior varsity goalie, had a strong game with 11 saves and one steal. Serrano said that Vu started over senior keeper Antonia Velasquez because Velasquez had to miss practice Tuesday to attend an ROP class.

“School comes first,” said Serrano, who learned that the hard way as his team lost its top returner, Lauren Smith, this season. Smith, a senior who scored 95 goals last year, decided to focus on academics.

Still, the Mustangs earned a playoff spot in the five-team league with wins against cross-town rival Estancia and Godinez.

“Our real goal was to finish second in league,” Serrano said. “That’s the roughest part. You know, the girls played hard, especially losing their top scorer from last year. It’s been a hard transition, and it’s great to see that they’re still pushing through and looking forward to the future.”

Despite the strong senior class that will be lost to graduation, Serrano said he believes the future at his alma mater is bright. Dustin and his twin brother Cody took over as both boys’ and girls’ water polo coaches this season, after Justin Taylor and Tim Postiff, respectively, stepped down.

“It’s great to see that we have a future,” Dustin Serrano said. “We have a very senior-based team with six seniors, but we’re excited for next year. I know it’s early to talk next year, but we’re excited with how our girls have progressed throughout the year, especially being coached by new coaches and figuring out a whole new system.”

Costa Mesa concludes its regular season Feb. 11 with a home game against Los Amigos. The CIF playoff pairings will be released Sunday, Feb. 15.