El Toro Surges Past Mater Dei

Shellshocked from injuries to three of its top eight players, fourth-ranked Mater Dei rallied behind its misery for a half.

Then, reality set in.

Reality turned out to be very unpleasant.

El Toro, ranked No. 7 in Orange County, overcame an early 13-point deficit to defeat the Monarchs, 62-51, in nonleague girls’ basketball Saturday at Mater Dei.

The Chargers (17-5) were led by Giuliana Mendiola’s game-high 39 points and 10 rebounds. Mater Dei (18-5) got 23 points from Maile Shimoda. They were the only players who scored in double figures.

With starting guard Kyra Melville (dislocated knee), center Lindsay Pavlik (dislocated shoulder) and reserve center Whitney Pavlik (fractured thumb) out of the lineup, Mater Dei did a one-for-all act in the first half, opening the game with three successive three-point baskets--by Shimoda, who had two, and Kristin Hayman--and building a 13-0 lead within four minutes.

“I was nervous,” conceded Mendiola, who made 14 of 23 from the field after going the first 4 1/2 minutes of the game without an attempt.

Her coach, Vincent Avitabile, would have preferred to stay away from Mater Dei under the circumstances.

“My experience is that kids muster it up for a game and everyone rallies together,” he said, “then there’s a letdown.”

But the letdown came after only 17 minutes. Kristian Kirkpatrick, Mater Dei’s 6-foot center and only remaining rebounding threat, was whistled for her fourth foul 1 minute 2 seconds into the second half. With Kirkpatrick out the rest of the third quarter, the Chargers went on a 16-4 run, taking advantage of seven Monarch turnovers and taking a 41-38 lead on Mendiola’s 27-foot three-pointer with 2:48 left in the quarter.

Over the final 11 minutes, Mater Dei made only two field goals, going one for nine in the fourth quarter.

“I think we got tired,” Shimoda said. “They were quick, and we missed our scorers.”

Pavlik, the Monarchs’ leading rebounder, scored 16 and Melville 15 when Mater Dei defeated El Toro, 66-54, in December. Melville also helped Shimoda hold Mendiola to 24 points in that game.

Kirkpatrick, who scored seven points and had a game-high eight rebounds, fouled out with 3:40 remaining in Saturday’s game.