Warriors top Northwood in non-league match
1/25/2008 Girls Water Polo (UPDATED: 1/28/2008)
By TIM BURT
Irvine World News
Woodbridge High’s girls water polo team displayed tough defense to hold off a scrappy Northwood team and win, 6-5, in the El Dorado Tournament last weekend. Woodbridge’s defense, led by goalie Ellen Soria, did not allow a goal in the first quarter. Senior Kylie Goto scored Woodbridge’s only goal in the first period.
Defense prevailed as Northwood’s freshman hole set, Kristen Baldwin, was frustrated time after time by Woodbridge’s team defense.
Junior Jasmin Pannier and sophomores Courtney Lakin and Alison Chen combined for three goals in the second period. Northwood’s Shelby Taylor scored two of her three goals on long range, cross court shots to make the score 4-2 at halftime.
Northwood’s offense clicked in the third period with goals from Lna Kim and Sara Taylor, tying the score, 4-4. In the fourth quarter, Pannier scored early in the quarter on a player-advantage. Taylor stepped up again to tie the score at 5. Woodbridge continued to swim hard and drew an ejection with 59 seconds left. Coach Dion Gray called a timeout and set up a player-advantage play.
Senior Jessica Pijl and Goto executed as planned and Goto scored the go-ahead goal with 48 seconds left. The Warrior defense stayed strong and fended off a tough attack by the Timberwolves. Freshman Nicole Thurber protected the ball for the remaining seconds to secure the 6-5 win for Woodbridge.
Soria ended the game with 10 saves. Northwood’s goalie Essel Sotoodeh had five saves. These two teams will meet at the end of the season in a league match on Feb. 6 at Northwood.
