Edison Beats San Clemente by One, Again

For the second time in three games between them, sixth-ranked Edison defeated fourth-ranked San Clemente in a one-point game.

Edison’s 61-60 victory in Monday’s Marina tournament quarterfinal was played with its best player, Christina Patterson, sick with a cough and congestion. Well-rounded efforts from Rachel Ziemann (15 points), Michelle Zylstra (14 points, 12 rebounds) and Allison Libeu (12 points) picked up the slack.

That sets up tonight’s 6:30 semifinal against Los Angeles Palisades.

Marina, a 58-36 winner over Santa Margarita, will play Huntington Beach in the other semifinal. The Oilers defeated 10th-ranked Rosary, 53-46.

Edison edged San Clemente in the season’s first week, 51-50, but lost last week in the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions, 56-43, casting doubt on the credibility of their earlier victory.

“[San Clemente is] playing much better now than they were at the first of the year [winning six of their last seven games],” Edison Coach Dave White said. “If we got beat bad again today, I think you’d have to question whether we were ready for this caliber of competition.”

The Chargers held a 29-26 halftime lead, then withstood Debby Caine in the third quarter. Caine (18 points) scored 11, including three of her four three-point baskets, and provided the Tritons a 37-36 edge. But Ziemann scored the final eight points of the quarter.

San Clemente’s Colleen Turnbull (10 points, nine rebounds), who got her fourth foul with 6:33 left in the third quarter, dominated the fourth quarter with six rebounds and six points. Her rebound and basket pulled San Clemente to within one, 52-51, with 1:51 to go.

From there, five different Chargers scored, including Zylstra’s drive to the basket and Lauren Brown’s 15-footer to make it 56-51.

Patterson (eight points) put Edison up, 61-57, with two free throws with 12 seconds remaining.

The Chargers made seven of eight free throws in the fourth quarter, and 12 of 18 in the game; San Clemente made 11 of 18.