Trabuco Hills Team Comes Up Short

LAKE FOREST — For now, silver medals were small consolation for some members of the Trabuco Hills Aquatics Program girls’ water polo team.

While TRAP pondered its missed opportunities, San Diego Sunset celebrated after seizing its chances to post a 5-4 victory in the 15-and-under division gold-medal game at the U.S. Water Polo National Junior Olympic tournament Thursday at El Toro High.

Sandy Onweller scored three first-half goals and Ericka Lorenz scored the eventual winner with 3 minutes 31 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter for Sunset. Lorenz’s goal helped Sunset convert on its third consecutive man-advantage situation.

“Those kick-outs against us, that wasn’t the game,” Trabuco Hills Coach Mike Stachowski said. “We can’t complain about those.

“We came here to win, so yeah, it’s tough. I think there were some butterflies, the pressure of a big game.”

Sunset’s collapsing defense took Trabuco Hills out of its offensive rhythm and Stachowski said his team was forced to shoot outside. Its leading scorer, Jessica Gatzke of Mission Viejo, got both of her goals on shots from near mid-pool.

April Jolley of Downey scored with seven seconds remaining in the third quarter to tie it for Trabuco Hills, 4-4, before Lorenz scored 1 1/2 minutes into the fourth quarter to give Sunset the lead for good.

But Trabuco Hills never quit. Gatzke missed on two shots in the final three minutes and the team had its best chance to score in the final minute.

After gaining a man-advantage situation with 24 seconds remaining, Jolley, who scored one goal, took a quick shot from four meters but it sailed high over the goal. Then Sunset ran out the clock.

“We did what we wanted to defensively,” said Stachowski, who watched his team hold tournament MVP Ashley Richardson scoreless. “We just didn’t execute when we had to.”

In the 17-and-under division:

Commerce 8, San Diego Sunset 6--Patty Cardenas, Jackie Lopez and Brenda Villa each scored two goals for Commerce in the gold-medal game.

Huntington Beach Golden West 6, Modesto-Stanislaus 3--Robin Beauregard of Huntington Beach scored two goals for Golden West in the bronze-medal game.