Sailors send message

IRVINE — Just two games into the defense of its 2006-07 CIF Southern Section Division I title, the Foothill High girls’ water polo team came up against a Newport Harbor squad much better prepared to defend its own goal Tuesday night.

The result was a 5-2 nonleague victory for the Sailors (2-0), ranked No. 3 in CIF Division I and, perhaps, an early message to the top-ranked Knights (1-1) at Beckman High.

Newport Harbor senior goalie Morgan Vickers, who anchored a stifling defense with 10 saves, including one on a five-meter penalty shot, said as much.

“They were ranked ahead of us, but now we showed them that we can beat them, and by three [goals],” said Vickers, who started in goal each of the five games last season against the Knights, four of which were Foothill victories, including the Southern Section Division I semifinals. “Last year, the only time we won was by one [goal].”

While Vickers stood out, the Sailors’ defensive wave extended well beyond the cage.

“I think we all played great,” Vickers said. “We all played major defense and we took it to them on offense, too. We tired them out.”

Foothill Coach Dave Mikesell also said Newport Harbor’s defense, bolstered by four steals apiece from junior Nina McCall and senior Kimmy Morrison, was the difference.

“[Newport Harbor Coach Bill] Barnett’s kids looked very good, defensively, really good defensively,” Mikesell said of the Sailors. “I thought they were impressive all the way around. I’m not sure if, in the second half, we had many looks at the cage at all.”

Mikesell said Vickers played well, but he was at least equally impressed with the Sailors’ defense on the perimeter.

“The shots we did get were [via breakdowns] or out at two meters,” Mikesell said. “For the most part, they eliminated any and all shots from our perimeter.”

The Sailors held Foothill’s two-meter standout, USC-bound Emily Klug, to two goals, though it resorted to nothing more than standard help defense, no double-teaming or sloughing, to accomplish that task.

“We knew we had to shut down set,” Vickers said. “[Klug] is an amazing player. We had to help [defend] set any way we could. When we needed help [on Klug] the set defender and myself called for it.”

Vickers said the rivalry is enough to get any player’s adrenaline racing. And the chance to stop the game’s lone penalty shot, with 5:01 left in the third quarter, only heightened the intensity.

“I was just pumped,” Vickers said of her thoughts during the penalty shot, which was skipped to Vickers’ right by Foothill’s Kathryn Bustard. “I didn’t want it to go in. She shot it and I was there. I don’t know any other way to put it.”

Vickers stopped the shot by lowering her right arm, which was outstretched above her head, when the shot was released.

Vickers also pinned a shot from close range in her left armpit for one of her several sparkling saves.

The Tars opened the scoring when sophomore Kate Klippert scored the first of her two goals, with 3:22 left in the first quarter. It was unassisted.

After Klug tied the score just 15 seconds later, senior Jessica Robinson scored on an assist from Mimi Bury that put the visitors ahead for good.

McCall, a transfer from Rosary, scored on an assist by senior Laguna Beach transfer Erin Reid with 2:47 left in the third period and Klippert cashed in an assist by Kaleigh Gilchrist to up the lead to 4-1 heading into the final period.

McCall’s second goal upped the lead to four, before Foothill finalized the scoring.

Nonleague

Newport Harbor 5, Foothill 2

SCORE BY QUARTERS

NH – Klippert 2, McCall 2, Robinson 1. Saves – Vickers 10.

F – Klug 2. Saves – Avetoom 4.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].