Rosary Uses Team Concept to Slow Down University

LONG BEACH — Team depth had been a key for Rosary all season, so it was no surprise that a balanced attack and team defense keyed a 7-4 victory over University in the Southern Section Division III girls’ water polo championship game Monday at Belmont Plaza.

Julia Wald, Natalie Golda and Kelly McNeley each scored two goals for top-seeded Rosary (23-5) and the Royals also put the clamps on high-scoring Erin Hayes, who entered the game with 98 goals but scored only once Monday for second-seeded University (21-10).

Hayes scored the first goal to give University a 1-0 lead 2 1/2 minutes in but Rosary scored four times to take a 4-1 lead at halftime. Hayes didn’t get another shot until the final minute of the game.

McNeley drew the primary assignment of defending Hayes.

“Kelly was the difference in the game,” Rosary Coach Todd Sprague said.

But McNeley got plenty of help. Goalie Britni DeGrazio made eight saves and Golda and Julie Henn each guarded Hayes occasionally.

When the Trojans tried to get the ball into Hayes at two meters, Rosary constantly double- and triple-teamed her.

But Hayes didn’t force anything. She drew two ejections on McNeley to help set-up two six-on-five goals by Hayley Sudeith. Hayes also got an assist on Jenny Gottbreht’s goal.

“We thought they might be crashing down on Erin,” University Coach Mike Reid said, “That’s why I gave our goalie the green light.” University goalie Amy Hilts took six long-distance shots, and two in the first half hit the crossbar.

University pulled within 6-4 with 6:29 remaining in the fourth quarter, but McNeley helped put it out of reach scoring a minute later from the hole on a pass from Wald.

“I can’t describe how great this feels,” said Wald, the team’s leading scorer. “It was great to win it in my senior year, but maybe they can do it again next year.”

That’s because Wald is the only senior starter for Rosary.

“Today it wasn’t the Julia Wald show, but the Rosary water polo show,” Sprague said.