Irvine Takes the Fourth and Defeats Marina, 5-4

Irvine, the top-ranked team in Orange County, used a rare fourth-quarter scoring outburst to rally past seventh-ranked Marina, 5-4, in a nonleague girls’ water polo game Friday at Heritage Park in Irvine.

Irvine didn’t fully escape until a shot from eight meters by Marina’s Cara Chlebicki just cleared the top of the goal at the final buzzer. Chlebicki scored four goals to help the Vikings (10-6) take a 3-1 lead into the fourth quarter before the Vaqueros (14-2) rallied.

“To be able to come back against a team like that is a big step for us,” Irvine Coach Scott Hinman said.

Chlebicki scored on a tip from two meters off a great pass from Shauna Nielsen to give Marina a 3-1 lead with 2 minutes 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Then Irvine started its rally in the final quarter.

Irvine’s Nicole Lorrimer scored from the hole off an assist from Lindsay Stephens with 6:09 remaining. With 4:57 remaining, Agnes Prawdzik scored from close range off an assist from Mary Beth Cox to make it 3-3.

Two minutes later, Stephens drove to the net and drew a major foul from Marina’s Jessica Stone, earning a four-meter penalty shot. Stephens converted it and Irvine had its first lead, 4-3.

And with 2:35 remaining, Irvine extended its lead to 5-3 when Cox worked free from Nielsen in the hole and scored. The play also led to a red card and ejection for Marina Coach Drew Netherton.

“I just thought there were two offensive fouls that weren’t called and that changed the complexion of the whole game,” Netherton said. “I thought we played well enough to win. We had four shots bar-out on us in the first quarter.

“But don’t take anything away from Irvine. They played well.”