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Woodbridge girls water polo keeps cool to sink Buena Park in second round of Division 2 playoffs

February 8, 2025

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Blood spilled but composure prevailed.

That was the theme for Woodbridge’s girls water polo team Friday night as it reacted positively to adversity in a 9-6 triumph against visiting Buena Park in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs.

With Woodbridge coach Alex Farraro encouraging her players to maintain their composure, the Warriors (20-10) scored three consecutive goals in the fourth period after the Coyotes (16-16) drew within one goal.

Woodbridge sophomore Ellie Kruger sparked the surge by narrowly beating the shot clock with a perimeter strike for a 7-5 lead with 3:34 left in regulation.

Lena DeLand and Mia Matulewicz — also both sophomores — added goals over the next two minutes as the Warriors advanced to Wednesday’s quarterfinals against visiting Downey.

“We do good under pressure,” said Woodbridge’s Sareen Sardarian, who scored a match-high three goals. “We talk a lot (as a team). We keep it under control. We know how to keep our composure.”

“We’ve been working hard for this,” the junior added. “We’ve learned to work together a lot more.”

Sardarian, a center, showed her composure in the second period. She briefly left with a bloody nose but returned later in the quarter to score on a sweep shot from center to give Woodbridge a 4-2 lead at halftime.

Sardarian then scored the first two goals of the second half — raising her season-total to 105 — as the Warriors took control.

“I’m used to it, I guess,” she said of the physical play. “I take a lot of physical pressure as a center but it didn’t really affect me.”

Junior Uma Mahajan drew the penalty and exclusion that led to Sardarian’s goals in the third.

Woodbridge also received clutch play in the third period senior goalie Camryn Adams, who made four of her 12 saves.

Adams made one save against the power play as the Warriors held Buena Park to 1 for 5 with the extra attacker in the frame. Buena Park finished 2 for 7 overall on the power play while Woodbridge went 1 for 4.

“I knew it be a battle,” said Farraro, whose team beat the Coyotes 8-5 early in the season, “(Buena Park) has a great goalie (in Jayden-Starr Smith).”

“It got quite exciting (with the third period exclusions),” the coach added. “We had to regain composure after that and just slow them down.”

Smith finished 13 saves to help lead the senior-laden Coyotes.

Brianna Mora tossed a lob shot to cut Woodbridge’s lead to 6-5 with about four minutes left in the fourth.

Emma Chagollan netted two goals to finish the season with 105 goals.

“It’s a whirlwind of emotions because I taught all those girls how to swim,” said Buena Park coach Shane LaFortune, whose squad won the first league title in school history. “A few years ago, we were Division 6. Now we’re Division 2 with no club kids.”

Also in Division 2:

El Toro 15, La Serna 9: Arizona State-bound Lulu Gaetano scored six goals, Mallory Taylor netted four and Cat Abdella added three goals and two assists as the top-seeded Chargers (21-8) won their first playoff game under first-year coach Russell Renteria. El Toro plays host to Buena in the quarterfinals.

In Division 3:

Portola 10, Santa Monica 8: Junior Alexis Minasyan had three goals and seven steals and junior goalie Giselle Lu made seven saves to lead the Bulldogs (14-9), who play at Flintridge Sacred Heart in the quarterfinals.

In Division 4:

Aliso Niguel 12, Crean Lutheran 7: Leyla Pfeiffer made 14 saves, Ellie Stagner scored three goals and Kate Burkitt added two goals and four steals as the Wolverines (17-9) reached the quarterfinals for the first time.

Troy 10, Roosevelt 9: Blessing Cheng and Anisha Aluwihare helped lead the Warriors (14-12), who play host to Upland in the quarterfinals.

In Division 6:

Anaheim 13, Edgewood 8: Layla Gonzalez netted seven goals and Hannah Grubbs added three goals and three steals to pace the Colonists (9-10).

Orange County Register

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Woodbridge girls water polo keeps cool to sink Buena Park in second round of Division 2 playoffs

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