Ventura Puts Clamps on Santa Ynez

Ventura High girls’ water polo Coach Mark Schmidt did not expect to stop Deanna Lowry or Tina Huff when the Cougars hosted fourth-seeded Santa Ynez on Tuesday in a Division II Southern Section quarterfinal.

He just wanted to slow them down.

Schmidt gave Dolores Johnson the task of defending Lowry, an All-Southern Section player, and turned Elizabeth Derse loose on Huff.

Derse and Johnson did exactly what Schmidt wanted and Ventura advanced with a 6-3 victory, earning the right to face Agoura, last season’s Division II runner-up.

Johnson and Derse also contributed on offense for Ventura (17-7). Johnson’s lone goal at 3:02 in the first quarter on the first of Derse’s three assists gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead.

Lowry answered twice for Santa Ynez (24-5-1), scoring from the left with one second remaining in the first quarter and whipping a backhand shot past goalkeeper Addie Reyes at 6:17 in the second quarter for a 2-1 lead.

Heather Bird evened the score 11 seconds later with the first of her two goals.

Derse scored from three meters with 1:19 left in the half, and Solange Webster scored the first of her two goals following one of Derse’s six steals with 52 seconds remaining to give the Cougars a 4-2 halftime advantage.

Huff scored her only goal at 3:20 in the third quarter, but Webster answered at 1:54 on a power play.

Amy Simpson took over Johnson’s defensive assignment after Johnson drew her third ejection and fouled out with 1:38 left in the quarter. She had three steals and held Lowry to three shots.

Webster also had three steals and Bird had two steals. Bird closed the scoring with 1:15 remaining in the third quarter.

Ventura was unable to covert a six-on-four power play with 2:42 left in the fourth quarter.

Schmidt, whose team plays in the Channel League with defending Division II champion Santa Barbara, is looking forward to a rematch with Agoura.

“They beat us real well in our second game,” Schmidt said. “Our second game against Santa Barbara [a 6-2 loss] is more indicative of how we are playing.”