Glendale girls’ water polo runs into Bent wall

With nearly every statistical category in its favor, the Glendale High girls’ water polo team could have very well opened the season with a victory Tuesday afternoon.

Host Eagle Rock, though, had one distinct advantage in the form of 6-foot goalie Jahmea Bent.

The junior was forceful in stopping eight shots, holding the Nitros to only one goal on 10-man-advantage opportunities and forcing the visitors to take difficult chances in a 6-3 nonleague victory for the Eagles.

PHOTOS: Glendale High falls to Eagle Rock, 6-3

“Eagle Rock’s goalie is very dominant and it’s hard on offense and six-on-fives to get something past her,” Glendale Coach Casey Sripramong said. “I liked our effort. I think we had a lot of great offensive moves to the goal, but we just couldn’t get much around her.”

Glendale outshot four-time reigning Los Angeles City Section champion Eagle Rock, 23-14, committed three less turnovers and totaled 10 six-on-five chances versus one for the Eagles, who were also starting their season.

Yet, of those 10 chances, not only did Glendale score on just one, but the Nitros only mustered five shots on goal, with several attempts flying over the net and over the outstretched arms of Bent.

“It’s difficult once you get all the way down the line and you’re tired and then you have a tall, experienced goalie in your face,” said Glendale’s Lori Berberian, who tallied a score and two steals.

One side effect of Bent’s defensive prowess was that she allowed a slow Eagles’ offense to eventually get going and win the second half, 4-0, as the Nitros were held without a goal for the final 14:03 of the contest.

The game changed over a three-minute stretch in the third period with the Nitros clinging to a 3-2 halftime advantage.

Eagle Rock had committed turnovers on its first three possessions of the third quarter, but caught fire with three straight goals, the last a score from sophomore Deja Vega (team-high four goals) with 2:57 remaining that gave the Eagles a 5-3 advantage.

After an Eagle Rock turnover on its next possession, the Eagles closed out with a goal from Alena Sanchez with 1:14 left to take a 6-3 advantage.

On the flip side of the pool, the Nitros certainly had their chances, as the team was awarded three man-advantage opportunities, including a rare six-on-four attempt with 1:55 left.

A shot from Berberian was batted away by Bent, though, as Glendale was blanked in the quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Nitros outshot the Eagles, 7-1, as Eagle Rock was content just dumping on practically every possession and playing defense.

Even with three six-on-five chances, the Nitros were denied with one possession resulting in a turnover and the other two ending with shots over the crossbar.

“We had two goals today,” Eagle Rock Coach Andres Gonzalez said. “We wanted to shut down Glendale’s best player [Berberian] and play help defense. Listen, we have a goalie who made 400 saves last year, so we let other teams shoot because we’re confident in her.”

Glendale trailed, 1-0, after one quarter after a goal from Vega, but rallied with three scores in the second quarter from Diana Djeredjian, Berberian and Anna Ter-Mkrtehyan to take a 3-2 advantage into the half.

Glendale goalie Nakisa Nassirpour finished with five saves.

“It’s the beginning of the season and we still have a lot of work to do,” Berberian said. “My team has to work on keeping up our momentum and working off each other and encouraging each other even until the last minute. We’ll improve.”