Valentin lifts Los Amigos girls’ water polo past West Valley and into CIF final

Hemet West Valley High had a two-goal lead and the momentum heading into the final quarter. Los Amigos needed a boost and it got it from team captain Natalie Valentin.

Valentin scored five goals and rallied the No. 2-seeded Lobos to an 8-6 overtime win over No. 3 West Valley in the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 7 playoffs at Garden Grove High on Wednesday.

Los Amigos (22-6) will make its second section finals appearance in the program’s history on Saturday, when it plays No. 1 Los Angeles Marymount (16-5) at Irvine’s Woollett Aquatics Center. Marymount advanced by edging No. 4 Ojai Villanova Prep 5-4 in overtime on Wednesday.

“Honestly, we never gave up hope,” Valentin said. “We were just hopeful the whole time. Even when we were down, we just wanted it more. We kept telling ourselves, ‘Work for it more. Work for it more. We deserve it.’ It paid off that we never gave up, even in the last overtime. We never gave up.”

The Mustangs would score the first goal by Kailani Crompton, but the Lobos would tie the game with less than a minute left in the first quarter on a goal by Michelle Maldonado. West Valley recorded the next two goals in the second quarter, but Valentin scored her first goal of the game and Los Amigos went into halftime trailing 3-2.

The Lobos fell behind 4-2 heading into the final quarter, but they outscored West Valley 3-1 in the final quarter, thanks to two goals by Valentin and a goal by Briana Valencia. Valentin would score the first goal in overtime, but the Mustangs would tie the game in the second overtime. Los Amigos would fire back and put the game away with a second left in the second overtime on Valentin’s fifth goal.

“I think she has this desire to perform,” Los Amigos coach Chris Roman said of Valentin, a junior. “I saw her crying during the third and fourth quarter because she was excited. She does a phenomenal job of leading by example. She wants to score. She wants to be put in that position. She excelled today. She was phenomenal tonight.”

A bit of controversy occurred in the second overtime when the Lobos had the ball.

The Lobos turned the ball over after running out of time. West Valley goalie Kendra Whitmore, who had 14 saves, went to get the ball, but Valencia grabbed the ball and scored a quick goal to make it 7-6 Lobos.

Los Amigos goalie Natalie Albarran made 12 saves

Mallory Hoch scored three goals and Hailey Pierce scored two goals for West Valley (16-7).

“It was a great game,” said West Valley coach Rob Avila, whose team made the semifinals for the first time in school history. “Our girls battled hard all the way through. They took advantage of our mistakes. That was the difference in the game. It was an incredible season for these ladies. They’ve come so far and improved.”

The Lobos head back to the section finals for the first time in six seasons. In 2012, they lost to Santa Ana Valley 8-7 in Division 7.

“We aren’t going to change much,” Roman said. “We are going to keep the game plan that we have had all season. We are going to stick to what is working.”

MANNY ALVAREZ is a contributor to Times Community News. Follow him on Twitter: @MAlvarez02