Sports
Sea Queens Dunk Fountain Valley in First Round, 12-6
Corona del Mar starts strong to advance to Friday's quarterfinals of CIF Southern Section Division 1 girls water polo playoffs with victory at home.
The Outcome... Corona del Mar 12, Fountain Valley 6
Corona del Mar's girls water polo team cruised past Fountain Valley, 12-6, on Wednesday evening in the opening round of the CIF-Southern Section's Division 1 playoffs. The Sea Queens (20-7), who won the Pacific Coast league this season and earned a No. 3 seed in the postseason, made quick work of the visiting Barons (15-14).
The Turning Point... The Sea Queens’ Strong Start
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Corona del Mar began its title quest aggressively, jumping to a 4-0 lead three minutes into the match. Fountain Valley notched only one goal in the first half and allowed the Sea Queens to enter intermission in control, with a 6-1 advantage.
The Barons battled in the second half, out-shooting Corona del Mar and putting the pressure on Sea Queens goalkeeper Alex Musselman. A string of late Fountain Valley goals made the score seem much closer than how the game played out.
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Thanks to the hot start, Corona del Mar entered the final quarter ahead, 8-2, and never found its lead in jeopardy.
"The girls came to play today," Sea Queens coach Sam Bailey said. “They brought a focus and determination from the beginning, which was huge.”
The Difference... Corona del Mar Goalkeeper Alex Musselman
An exceptional regular season from the junior goalie carried over into the opening round of the playoffs. Musselman made seven second-half saves, standing tall against an re-energized Barons’ attack that put 12 shots on net after intermission.
The Sea Queens’ sensational defensive backstop has held opponents to single-digit scoring in 13 consecutive contests.
"I thought Alex played really well," Bailey said. "She came up with some outstanding saves at critical moments and helped feed our counter-attack. She has been our big consistency all season."
It was Over When... Cassidy Papa Scored her Third Goal of the First Half
The talented sophomore attacked throughout the first 14 minutes, tallying three goals before halftime. Papa scored her third on a relentless breakaway effort, when she left Fountain Valley defenders in her wake, to give Corona del Mar a five-goal lead before halftime.
Papa was one of three Sea Queens to score more than twice, joining fellow sophomore Ally McCormick (three goals) and junior Diana Murphy (four goals) as the team’s major offensive contributors.
The Aftermath... Corona del Mar Moves on to the Quarterfinals
One victory down, three to go. With a win on Wednesday, the Sea Queens are bound for the Division 1 quarterfinals, where a rematch with Santa Barbara awaits.
The Dons defeated Corona del Mar, 7-3, in their Dec. 3 clash. The game features two of Southern California mainstays in girls water polo
"Every game from here on out is a championship ball game,” Bailey said. “I think they demonstrated that it's important to approach every game with that type of mentality. We‘ll certainly need it moving forward."
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In the other Division 1 first-round games, top-seeded Dos Pueblos defeated Anaheim Canyon, 19-2; second-seeded Los Alamitos beat Beckman, 17-5; fourth-seeded Newport Harbor defeated Villa Park, 12-1; Edison beat Mira Costa, 13-6,; Foothill beat San Marcos, 10-5, and Laguna Beach defeated Irvine, 18-3.
