Indians step it up to win wild-card polo match
BOYS’ WATER POLO
Burroughs 8, Bonita 6: The Indians made the most of their first trip to the CIF Southern Section playoffs in seven years by notching a Division V wild-card win Tuesday on the road.
It was the first playoff win for Burroughs (13-10) — the No. 4 team from the Pacific League — in eight years.
The key to the win was Burroughs’ short-handed defense, as Bonita (6-18; No. 3 from the Hacienda League) earned 10 ejections, but scored just two goals on man advantages.
“That was big right there,” Burroughs Coach Danny Garcia said. “Our defense really stepped it up on those ejections and that made the difference.”
Daniel Mairena had three goals and Casey and Kevin Ueno added two each. In goal, keeper Dillon Weigand had 12 saves.
“It was a tight game throughout the first three quarters,” Garcia said. “We just had a little more in the fourth.”
The Indians will play at Riverside Poly in a first-round match at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL
La Puente d. Providence, 21-25, 25-17, 25-7, 25-17: The Pioneers came out strong Tuesday in their CIF Southern Section Division IV-A first-round playoff match on the road. However, Providence couldn’t keep up the momentum, falling in four games.
“I was very happy with the way we played in three of the four games,” said Providence Coach Josh Eggleston, whose team ends the season 9-11 after finishing fourth in the Liberty League. “This is probably one of the best games they’ve played all season.
“We just played a very good team. They had some very good hitters that just got to us,”
Eggleston said the Pioneers received solid performances from Janel Andreneda and Bea Yousucio.
La Puente (18-5) won a championship in the Mountview League.
Burroughs d. Cypress, 13-25, 26-24, 25-15, 20-25, 15-13: The Indians battled back in the crucial fifth game to win a CIF Southern Section Division II-A first-round match Tuesday on the road.
“We got down early in that fifth game and we were able to fight our way back,” Burroughs Coach Edwin Real said. “I was happy with the way they didn’t give up.”
Burroughs (18-5; No. 3 from the Pacific League) advances to Thursday’s second round, where it will play No. 3 Oxnard (19-3), which defeated Westridge, 25-13, 25-17, 25-22, in a first-round match Tuesday.
Cypress (15-8) was the runner-up in the Empire League.
Jeff Tully