Glendale girls’ water polo falls in season opener
EAGLE ROCK — Though there are seven seniors on the Glendale High girls’ water polo team, it might take some time for the Nitros to come together.
Glendale opened its season Monday at Eagle Rock in an intersectional match looking to start off on the right note.
For the first three quarters, Glendale held its own before struggling in the fourth quarter en route to a 9-5 nonleague defeat.
Glendale trailed, 6-5, heading into the fourth quarter and was blanked in the final seven minutes.
“We do have a lot of seniors and they should have experience,” said Glendale coach Casey Sripramong, whose team qualified for the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs last season. “We had a little bit of a rough start today, but it’s mostly about learning to play with one another.
“We just need to have a bit of a better vision in the game and be there mentally. We also need to get better on offense and defense.”
The Nitros received a team-high two goals from Anna Ter-Mkrtchyan. Her second goal pulled Glendale to within 6-5 with 3:41 remaining in the third quarter.
Eagle Rock got fourth-quarter goals from Samantha Acosta, Deja Vega and Sophia Diaz to wrap up the win.
“We had some chances and we just couldn’t convert [in the fourth quarter],” said Ter-Mkrtchyan, who opened the scoring with 6:37 left in the first quarter. “We just have to be bit better with our communication and that will come. It’s nothing negative.
“We want to get a top-three spot [in the Pacific League] and get into the playoffs.”
A man-advantage goal by Lili Barker gave the Nitros a 2-1 lead with 14 seconds to go in the first quarter. The Eagles tied it at 2 on a goal by Acosta with six seconds to play in the quarter.
The Eagles scored three straight goals in the early part of the third quarter to build a 5-2 advantage.
Glendale responded with two goals in less than a minute to make it 5-4 late in the second quarter. Mondana Nassirpour and Lilita Ter-Barsegyan scored to close out the first-half scoring.
Glendale goalkeeper Milena Asatryan finished with seven saves. Eagle Rock goalkeeper Megan Acosta had eight saves.
Glendale will compete in a nonleague home match against Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
