Cougars Able to Hold Off Marina Charge

Marina, ranked fifth in Orange County, got within one goal of second-ranked Capistrano Valley before the Cougars pulled away for an 8-4 victory in a nonleague girls’ water polo game Tuesday at Saddleback College.

Amber Stachowski, a U.S. junior national team member, had four goals and three steals and her younger sister Aimee had two goals and four steals for the Cougars (3-0), who led 5-1 before Marina (1-2) made its charge.

Marina’s Cara Chlebicki, also a junior national team member, scored two goals in a three minute-span to help pull the Vikings to within 5-4 with 5 minutes 28 seconds remaining.

But on Capistrano Valley’s next possession, Amber Stachowski scored a goal on a lob shot over Marina defender Erin Wilson and freshman goalie Bree Valbuena. Stachowski scored again on a counterattack with 2:48 left to make it 7-4.

Two possessions later, Stachowski made a steal and Laurel Rodin scored her second goal with 1:06 remaining to make it 8-4.

“Turnovers were huge,” Marina Coach Johnny Bega said. “I thought that was the difference in the game.”

Wilson scored 1:14 into the game to make it 1-1 before Capistrano Valley’s defense clamped down. Marina took only three shots in the second quarter and went scoreless for an 18 1/2-minute span from the first through third quarters as the Cougars built their lead.

“Defensively, I thought we did a nice job,” Capistrano Valley Coach Jason Lynch said. “We just had that one bad run late in the third quarter when we weren’t matched up.”

Capistrano Valley goalie Meridith McColl made five of her nine saves in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory.