The 805 Santa Barbara Water Polo Club’s 14U girls team claimed the bronze medal at the USA Water Polo’s Champions Cup at Indiana University’s famed Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center in Bloomington on Sunday.
The 805 squad defeated San Diego Shores 6-4 in the bronze medal game.
In Sunday’s semifinal Santa Barbara faced Coastal Zone foe City of Commerce. Defense dominated the first half as the team’s locked at 4-4. Commerce evened the score in the last minute.
The teams were tied 5-5 after the third quarter. Commerce scored two goals in the fourth period to win 7-5.
In bracket play on Friday, Santa Barbara overcame a resilient Davis team 10-7 and then crushed perennial Northern California power 680 Water Polo, 12-2 to finish first in their group.
On Saturday, Santa Barbara defeated Rose Bowl Water Polo Cub, 9-4, advancing to the quarterfinal match with San Diego Shores.
805 started slowly against Shores and fell behind 5-3 late in the third quarter. Down 5-4 in the fourth, Santa Barbara held Shores scoreless and tied the game 5-5 with less than a minute to play. The game went to a shootout that 805 won 10-9 to advance undefeated to Sunday’s semifinal match against Commerce.
Goalie Elaia Hamilton of the Santa Barbara 805 Water Polo Club’s 14U team stops a sudden-victory penalty shot to give it a win over San Diego Shores in the quarterfinals of the USA Water Polo Champions Cup in Indiana. Video by Peter Neushul. pic.twitter.com/H1uTOG3L2V
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805’s Elaia Hamilton made a spectacular block once the shootout went to sudden victory, clinching the win for Santa Barbara.
Led by head coach Cathy Neushul, the 14s include Ava Bennett, Maria Bittle, Tatum Dougherty, Emma Gilbert, Madison Haaland-Ford, Grayson Madeod, Kate Meyer, Reagen McEachen, Sophia Panossian, Ava Stryker, Layla Szymczak, and Abigail Webber. Elaia Hamilton played in goal for 805.
Reagen McEachen received the Maureen O’Toole Sportmanship Award.
“This was a good team effort” said Neushu/ “We have four very experienced players and a crop of new talent beginning to work as a team. I look forward to this group performing well at the National Junior Olympics.”