Artists Defeat Sea Kings to Reach First Section Final

After starting at rock bottom, Laguna Beach reached new heights Friday, advancing to its first Southern Section final with a 7-6 victory over top-seeded Corona del Mar in a Division IV girls’ water polo semifinal at El Toro High.

Tina Codini scored three goals, Laura Case had two and goalie Lina Moore made 10 saves to help the Artists (23-6) reach the Division IV championship game against second-seeded University on Monday at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

Case scored from two meters with 2 minutes 7 seconds remaining to make it 7-5, then Corona del Mar’s Daniela DiGiacomo scored off a rebound with 33 seconds left to cut the lead to one.

The Sea Kings got one final possession after a turnover with 10 seconds remaining, but Christina Hewko’s lob pass to Danielle Carlson in front of the goal was a little too high and Moore chased down the loose ball as time expired.

“I don’t think I realize what has happened yet,” Laguna Beach senior Teresa Codini said. “Today, I just couldn’t picture any of [Corona del Mar’s] players wanting it more than we did.”

Said Laguna Beach Coach Rick Scott: “This team, especially the seniors, have been waiting for this a long time. When these seniors started out as freshmen, we were losing games by 15-20 goals.”

For Corona del Mar (19-12), Friday’s loss was the third this season to the Artists. DiGiacomo and Malia Tarayao each scored two goals for the Sea Kings.

In the other semifinal:

University 8, El Dorado 7--With 56 seconds remaining, Stephanie Grodin scored her third goal to break a 7-7 tie for second-seeded University (16-14).

El Dorado (15-11) got one final scoring chance with 43 seconds remaining, but Jill Kurvers, who had three goals, shot high from seven meters.

The game was tied five times and no team led by more than one. After El Dorado took a 4-3 lead early in the third quarter, University scored three goals in a 3 1/2-minute span in the third quarter to take leads of 5-4 and 6-5.

But the unseeded Golden Hawks pulled even on Heather Stamper’s second goal. Driving toward the goal, she received a pass from Karly Tivenan, then switched the ball from her right to left hand and flipped it past goalie Tiffany Mayer to make it 7-7 with 2:13 remaining.

Monica Canby had two goals for University.