02/16/08 GIRLS PLAYOFF WATER POLO ROUNDUP
RANCHO CUCAMONGA — Los Osos keeps making history for its girls water polo program.
Before this year, the Grizzlies had never before won a CIF-SS playoff game.
Now they’ve won two, thanks to Saturday’s 9-8 overtime upset victory over fourth-seeded Walnut in a CIF-SS Division III quarterfinal game at Los Osos.
Los Osos, which didn’t trail until overtime, now advances to Wednesday’s semifinals<NO1> against the winner between top-seeded Riverside Poly and La Canada at a site to be determined<NO>.
“I think our senior leadership is what carried us to victory,” Los Osos coach Eric Cypher said.
The score was tied 8-8 in the second half of the non-sudden death overtime. That’s when one of those seniors, Brittany Strong, came up big.
Strong’s goal from seven meters out gave the Grizzlies (19-8) a 9-8 lead with 38.1 seconds to play.
“I was still nervous, because I knew we had to stop them,” Strong said.
Walnut had one final possession and initially Strong was called for a foul about five meters from the goal.
“I didn’t want it to be my fault to give up the goal,” she said.
No blame was needed because Strong recovered, blocked the shot and got the ball with 21.9 seconds left. It was Walnut’s last chance.
It was the final blow in a game that seemed like it should have been decided long before.
Los Osos, which lost to Walnut (29-2) 10-5 a couple of weeks ago in the Bonita Tournament, led 3-0 after a quarter, then 6-3 entering the fourth.
The Mustangs trimmed the deficit to 6-5 on a goal by Allie Zell with 3:47 to play, but the lead looked comfortable again when Randi Bresee scored with 1:05 left to make it 7-5.
Before this year, the Grizzlies had never before won a CIF-SS playoff game.
Now they’ve won two, thanks to Saturday’s 9-8 overtime upset victory over fourth-seeded Walnut in a CIF-SS Division III quarterfinal game at Los Osos.
Los Osos, which didn’t trail until overtime, now advances to Wednesday’s semifinals<NO1> against the winner between top-seeded Riverside Poly and La Canada at a site to be determined<NO>.
“I think our senior leadership is what carried us to victory,” Los Osos coach Eric Cypher said.
The score was tied 8-8 in the second half of the non-sudden death overtime. That’s when one of those seniors, Brittany Strong, came up big.
Strong’s goal from seven meters out gave the Grizzlies (19-8) a 9-8 lead with 38.1 seconds to play.
“I was still nervous, because I knew we had to stop them,” Strong said.
Walnut had one final possession and initially Strong was called for a foul about five meters from the goal.
“I didn’t want it to be my fault to give up the goal,” she said.
No blame was needed because Strong recovered, blocked the shot and got the ball with 21.9 seconds left. It was Walnut’s last chance.
It was the final blow in a game that seemed like it should have been decided long before.
Los Osos, which lost to Walnut (29-2) 10-5 a couple of weeks ago in the Bonita Tournament, led 3-0 after a quarter, then 6-3 entering the fourth.
The Mustangs trimmed the deficit to 6-5 on a goal by Allie Zell with 3:47 to play, but the lead looked comfortable again when Randi Bresee scored with 1:05 left to make it 7-5.
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