LAKE FOREST — There are no magnets in the water, somehow drawing the Newport Harbor High and Corona del Mar girls’ water polo teams to the same pool for game after game after game.
It only seems that way.
So, when both teams lost Saturday’s semifinal games at the CIF Southern Section Masters Tournament, they immediately knew what that would mean.
It would be another Back Bay rivalry in the water, the sixth time the teams would play each other this season.
“We got to settle unfinished business,” Sailors senior Mimi Bury said, laughing. “Just kidding.”
In all five tournaments the Sailors and Sea Kings participated in this year, they played each other in their final game, and the Masters Tournament was no exception.
This time, it was Corona del Mar coming out on top, 6-5, in the tournament’s third-place game at El Toro High to end both teams’ season.
Earlier Saturday, Foothill topped the CIF Southern Section Division I champion Sailors, 9-4. Los Alamitos got by CdM, 5-4.
That left Newport Harbor (30-5) and CdM (26-9) to slug it out one more time, but after the CIF playoffs, much of the pressure was off. Both teams played their starting lines for much of the first half, but then went to almost all-senior lineups to start the second half.
Seniors Lauren Jarvie, Jessica Lincoln, Annie Savoji, Amanda Simons and Elizabeth Wheeler, along with junior Mia Butera, were in the water for Newport Harbor. CdM countered with a lineup of seniors Allison Peotter, Carissa Dice, Stephanie Figge, Corinne Treadaway and Kate Stimac, as well as junior Erin McAdams.
“It’s closing a chapter in the book,” said Treadaway, a team captain. “Four years went into it, at least for the seniors, and I feel like we closed it on a good note. I’m just really proud of everybody. After what happened last week [in CIF], we just wanted to prove to everybody that we could do it and we could hold our own with them. We did, so I’m really happy about that.”
Corona del Mar built up a 6-1 lead after three quarters, including a goal from mid-pool by junior goalie Kate Baldoni. Newport Harbor then rallied in the fourth, just like it did in the Tars’ 6-5 overtime win over CdM in the Division I title game on Feb. 23.
