Carpinteria High girls water polo had its season come to a close with a 12-11 loss to Temple City in Thursday’s CIF-SS Div. 2 playoff opener in Temple City.
After a slow start to the game for both teams, Temple City erupted in the second quarter to pull away for an 8-3 lead by the halftime break.
The momentum swung to the Warriors’ side in the third quarter, as they trimmed the deficit down to 10-7 heading into the fourth.
Carpinteria got back-to-back goals from Holliday Smith early in the fourth to keep the game close, while Hazel Dugre scored on a rebound to cut the Temple City lead to 11-10 with 2:48 left.
However, Temple City called a timeout, recollected itself and put the finishing touches on the win with a goal and a big defensive stop down the stretch.
“Our girls fought tooth and nail for every ball and maintained possession even under Temple City’s aggressive on-ball pressure,” Carpinteria High head coach Russell Russo said. “We were able to put them on the run by exploiting the defensive risks they were taking, encouraging small-ball play in front of the goal, and covering early on defense.
“I’m incredibly proud of the effort they gave this season, and this final game truly showed their growth and potential.”