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NEWPORT BEACH — A sensational first period on both ends of the pool powered Newport Harbor’s girls water polo team to its biggest victory of the season on Saturday.
The Sailors erupted for six goals in the opening quarter and raced past top-ranked Mater Dei 12-6 in the finals of the Newport Invite at Newport Harbor High.
Newport Harbor (23-3), ranked No. 2 in Orange County this week to Mater Dei (22-2), led 6-1 after the first period.
The Sailors led 8-4 at halftime and by as many as six goals in the second half as they sprinted to their first regular-season tournament title since Santa Barbara in 2023.
Emerson Mulvey of Newport Harbor scored three of her match-high four goals against her former school in the first quarter.
Less than a minute into the opening frame, Newport Harbor center Gabby Alexson drew an exclusion that led to a penalty strike by Mulvey.
Just 46 seconds later, Mulvey — a junior attacker — skipped in a shot on the counterattack for a 2-0 advantage.
Addison Ting added her own counterattack strike about 30 seconds later to push the score to 3-0.
A perimeter strike by Valery Verdugo extended the lead to 4-0 with 3:58 left in the first period.
Mater Dei snapped the run with 3:26 remaining in the first as PJ Popejoy came off the bench to score a power-play goal off a pass by reserve Amie Antonio.
Newport Harbor ended the first period with another flurry.
Sophia Verdugo converted a penalty shot that she drew and Mulvey added a power-play goal.
For the period, Newport Harbor tallied two goals on penalty shots, two off counterattacks, one with the extra attacker and one on a perimeter shot.
Meanwhile, Newport Harbor’s defense dropped two players from Mater Dei’s right wing — known as the 4-5 side in water polo positions — to slow center Paige Segesman’s ability to attack with a strong left turn toward the cage.
Sailors goalie Sunny Brown punctuated at the first period with a save against a 7-on-6 chance by Mater Dei, her former school.
Newport Harbor’s defense continued to perform well in holding Mater Dei to its season-low output.
The Sailors limited Mater Dei to a 2 for 9 effort on the power-play, blanked the Monarchs in the third period and held the Trinity League team scoreless for almost 10 1/2 minutes.
Newport Harbor’s Madison Mack highlighted the defensive effort with a steal against a power play in the third period. In the fourth, the junior blocked a late 7-on-6 chance that led to a goal by Ting on an open net.
Mulvey continued to drive the offense in the second half. She fired in the first goal of the third period with an outside shot that blasted off the cross bar and goalie Sienna Sorensen for a 9-4 lead.
The Sailors finished 2 for 6 on the power play.
Maggie Ryan scored three goals to lead Mater Dei.
In the semifinals, Mater Dei held off reigning CIF-SS Open Division champion Oaks Christian 10-9 after leading 10-7 with 3:21 left in the fourth.
Newport Harbor dispatched San Marcos 15-10 in the other semifinal.
The Sailors won their tournament for the first time since 2022.
Mater Dei beat Newport Harbor 10-9 in the finals of the Holiday Cup in December.
Both teams were busy this week. Mater Dei played seven matches, Newport Harbor six.
In another match Saturday:
In the Irvine Southern California Championships:
Orange Lutheran 13, JSerra 8: Eden Stanley recorded 15 saves and scored for the Lancers, who beat the Lions 16-10 in the Trinity League earlier this week. Orange Lutheran won the tournament for the third time in four years.
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