Monaco’s Goals Can’t Put Agoura Over Top in 10-7 Loss

Matt Monaco had three goals, including a four-meter shot that tied the score with 2:21 left, but Agoura High lost to Dos Pueblos in overtime, 10-7, in a Southern Section Division IV boys’ water polo quarterfinal game Wednesday night at UC Santa Barbara.

Monaco finished with 98 goals this season and nearly won the game when he spun around from seven meters, shot and hit the crossbar in the final seconds.

Fifth-seeded Agoura (18-9) trailed, 7-5, going into the fourth quarter but pulled to within 7-6 when Monaco dumped a pass into utility player Paul Stuart, who skipped a shot under the arm of goalie Brian Glassock with 4:45 remaining.

Agoura was four-for-four on its man-up opportunities.

Monaco stole the ball from Jake Harter for a breakaway but was fouled before he could shoot. He drilled the penalty shot into the net to tie the score, 7-7.

“We pride ourselves on our defense and we did a good job [Wednesday]” Coach Jason Rosenthal of Agoura said. “We’ve been feeding off that all year. We got off to a slow start in the first quarter, but after that I thought we played even with them.”

Fourth-ranked Dos Pueblos (19-8) took command in the first overtime.

Moments after teammate Garrett Morrison rattled a shot off the crossbar, Andrew Schonberger scored the go-ahead goal, then Ricky Umoff lofted a shot over goalie Eric Acevedo with 11 seconds left to give Dos Pueblos a 9-7 lead.

Dos Pueblos added an insurance goal with 22 seconds left in the second overtime on a give-and-go from Harter to Schonberger.

“They stepped it up another notch in overtime,” Rosenthal said. “They wanted it a little more than we did. Not that our kids didn’t want to win, but I was impressed with the way [Dos Pueblos] handled the pressure of overtime. They don’t really have a weak link.”

Agoura lost in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.

Chris Koplan beat Glassock to a rebound that was floating along the goalmouth and stuffed the ball into the back of the net to pull Agoura to within 7-5 in the waning seconds of the third quarter.

Utility player Paul Stuart one-timed a pass from Monaco with 4:45 left in regulation to bring the Chargers to within a goal.

Acevedo made 12 saves for Agoura, including five in overtime.