Vaqueros win twice to reach WSC Tournament final

SBCC won two games on Thursday to advance to the WSC Tournament women's water polo championship game at Citrus College in Glendora. The Vaqueros, a first-year team, were seeded No. 2 for the seven-team tournament.

They knocked off Santa Monica 9-2 in the morning, then built a 6-2 halftime lead and hung on for a 7-5 semifinal win over Ventura. Fourth-seeded L.A. Valley surprised No. 1 Cuesta in the other semifinal, 10-9.

The Vaqueros (15-12, 7-1 WSC) will take on L.A. Valley (19-6, 5-3) for the title on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Citrus. The winner earns an automatic trip to the Southern Cal Regional. SBCC beat Valley 12-10 on Sept. 24 at San Marcos High.

Rocio Fesembeck had two goals and five teammates scored one apiece in the Vaqueros' second win over Ventura this year. Alex Brown was a rock in goal, with 14 saves. Abdiel "AJ" Gravatt had a goal and four steals while Kaitlyn Wentz Fitzgerald had five drawn ejections.

"Alex had a great game and offensively, we had a good game although we hit the crossbar a number of times," said coach Chuckie Roth. "I was proud of our team's resilience in the fourth period when Ventura made a run and got within one. Autumn Lovett stepped up and sealed the victory with a goal at the 1:32 mark.

"We're excited to be playing for the conference championship."

Jessica Leathers had four goals and four steals while Lovett and Maddie Brooks recorded six steals each vs. Santa Monica, as the Vaqueros jumped ahead 6-0 at halftime.

"Elise Hazel (3 goals) countered so hard and played the most heads-up game of the season," Roth noted. "Jessica shot the ball extremely well and had her most aware game on defense. Alyssa Diener played the whole game and had several scoring attempts. In the 4th quarter, she was able to score on a breakaway counter. She really demonstrated a lot of hard work and relentless effort during the game."

Diener had a goal, three assists and two steals in the first game.

Santa Monica ………....  0    0    1   1  –  2
SBCC ..……....................  4    2    1   2  –  9
 Goals--SB: Leathers 4, Hazel 3, Diener, Gravatt. Goalie saves--SB: Brown 8.

Ventura ………….…....  0    2    2    1  –  5
SBCC ……..…...............  3     3    0    1  – 7
 Goals--SB: Fesembeck 2, Brooks, Tkach, Wentz Fitzgerald, Lovett, Gravatt. Goalie saves--SB: Brown 14.