Fourth quarter dooms La Cañada High girls’ water polo
One tough quarter proved to be the undoing of the La Cañada High girls’ water polo team Saturday afternoon.
The Spartans were blanked in the fourth, while surrendering five goals and the lead in a 12-10 defeat to the Schurr Spartans in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs at Diamond Bar High
For fifth-ranked La Cañada, the squad capped its season with a 21-8 record, an undisputed Rio Hondo League crown and a postseason victory after making the jump from Division V to Division II.
The defeat was the second of the season for La Cañada versus Schurr as the Montebello school posted a 10-8 victory on Feb. 4.
“This is an incredible group of young women that have continually exceeded expectations,” Spartans Coach Nicole Davidson said. “I am so proud of their growth and efforts this season. These athletes have completely redefined the La Cañada girls’ water polo [program] and I am grateful and proud to have been a small part of it.”
La Cañada took a 10-7 lead at the 1:10 mark in the third quarter and eventually closed the period up by that same margin.
A Schurr rally would need something spectacular and the school obliged by blanking La Cañada in the fourth and winning the frame, 5-0, to capture a 12-10 victory and advancement to Wednesday’s semifinals at the William J. Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center.
Mimi Zwaneveld and Genevieve Fraipont each tallied three goals for the Spartans.
