Newport Harbor girls’ water polo advances to CIF Division 2 semifinals

Newport Harbor High girls’ water polo coach Brian Melstrom posed a question to senior captain Jessica Lynch on Saturday, and it was a new one to Lynch.

Melstrom wanted to know if she thought the Sailors should take a team bus or personal transportation to Wednesday night’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 semifinal match at Irvine’s Woollett Aquatics Center.

Lynch decided on a bus. Questions like this are good ones for the UC Irvine-bound Lynch and the Newport Harbor senior class, which prior to this week had never won a postseason game. Now, the No. 2-seeded Sailors are two wins away from the Division 2 title.

They got closer Saturday after defeating Rancho Cucamonga Los Osos 12-9 in a quarterfinal match at Newport Harbor High. The Sailors (16-9) will play Santa Margarita in the semifinals Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Woollett. Santa Margarita (22-7) routed Arroyo Grande in another quarterfinal match Saturday, 19-7.

Newport Harbor, which has won five Division 1 titles, is playing in the Divison 2 playoffs for the first time in program history under the new setup of only the top eight teams making it in Division 1.

“I kind of feel like it’s more fun working toward a championship, instead of playing against the top teams that are probably going to knock us out,” Sailors senior center Sarah Barker said. “It’s more fun working at something that is really achievable, and it gives us motivation while going through the rest of our season. I personally prefer playing for a championship, instead of eighth place in Divsion 1.”

The Sailors showed off balanced scoring Saturday against Los Osos (19-10). Lynch and junior Annie Rankin scored three goals each, with Barker and juniors Karis Couch and Kili Skibby adding two goals. Junior goalkeeper Erin Ross made five saves.

“We have a lot of team trust,” Whelan said. “If someone has the ball, we’ll encourage her to shoot, because every girl on this team has an amazing shot. We trust in everyone, and I think that helps a lot.”

The score was tied 2-2 after the first quarter, but the Sailors scored four unanswered goals in the second to grab a 6-2 advantage. Rankin scored twice, assisted by Couch and Skibby. Rankin’s next shot hit the crossbar, but Skibby was there for the rebound goal.

After Lynch sunk a shot from about seven meters, the Sailors suddenly had the big lead with 3:44 remaining in the first half.

“It’s kind of been the story of our season,” Melstrom said. “We go on a four-goal run in a matter of two minutes, three minutes. Often times, that one instance is enough to pull out the win, enough to hang on.”

Whelan led the defensive effort with five steals. She was also one of four players with two assists, a list that also included Couch, Lynch and Skibby.

Los Osos, the Baseline League champion which was led by UC Irvine-bound senior Rylee Williams and her seven goals, could get no closer than two goals the rest of the way. Melinna Galbraith added two goals for the visitors, while Maddie Bolton had four steals. The Grizzlies converted six of 11 power-play chances; Newport Harbor converted three of seven.

In the semifinals, Newport Harbor will be playing Santa Margarita for the second time this season. The Sailors rallied to beat the Eagles 12-9 in a nonleague game Jan. 23 at Newport Harbor High.

matthew.szabo@latimes.com

Twitter: @mjszabo