Defense Fuels Aztecs’ Victory Over Marina

Esperanza’s defense provided its best offense in a Sunset League girls’ water polo game against Marina, paving the way to a 6-4 victory Wednesday at the Los Alamitos Armed Forces Reserve Center.

Esperanza, ranked third in the county, got two goals each from Katie Rousse and Teresa Guidi and tough defense from Theresa Conner to help the Aztecs (17-3, 4-0 in league) clinch a share of their first league title.

Marina, ranked sixth in the county, pulled even at 4-4 when junior Cara Chlebicki scored her third goal with 4 minutes 26 seconds remaining in the third quarter. But the Vikings (11-7, 3-1) never scored again.

Esperanza answered 28 seconds later when Guidi scored off a rebound after Dianna Catron’s shot hit the crossbar, making it 5-4.

Rousse scored an insurance goal from the hole with 2:27 remaining in the fourth, and the Aztecs’ defense sealed it, with goalie Kelsi Mills getting four of her five saves in the final 9 1/2 minutes.

“Theresa Conner’s defense was a big key,” Esperanza Coach Max Miyahara said. “We knew all about Cara Chlebicki, and it was Theresa’s responsibility to try and shut her down.”

Chlebicki scored twice when Conner was defending her, including one on a nice backhander from the hole one minute into the second quarter to pull Marina within 2-1.

But after Marina scored two more goals to take its only lead at 3-2, Esperanza’s defense stiffened to trigger its counterattack.

After a Rousse steal, Jessica Conner scored on the counterattack to make it 3-3 with 1:32 remaining in the second quarter. Then another turnover led to an Esperanza counterattack that finished with Guidi feeding Rousse for a goal to make it 4-3 with 22 seconds remaining in the quarter.

“Their counterattack got us on our heels,” Marina Coach Drew Netherton said. “It was a tough game. They’re one heck of a team.”