Laguna Hills Introduced to an Unpleasant Plunge

They call it The Plunge, but the pool at El Segundo Middle School might be more appropriately nicknamed The Echo Chamber.

One of the few indoor pools where high school water polo is played, it provides a loud environment and makes it hard for visiting teams not used to it.

Laguna Hills found that out in an 11-8 loss to El Segundo in a Southern Section Division IV wild-card girls’ water polo game Thursday.

“I don’t know if it’s the pool so much, but it’s the noise level,� Laguna Hills Coach Blake Corbin said. “If you’re used to it, it’s a definite advantage.�

Especially when more than 100 screaming El Segundo fans pack the stands, making it difficult for players to hear each other, their coach and even the referee’s whistle.

The inability to communicate helped lead to 19 turnovers by the Hawks (12-11). Many of the turnovers came on counterattack opportunities where a driving Laguna Hills player did not know a pass was coming and the ball landed in the water, free for anyone to pick up.

Five times an El Segundo player grabbed the ball and began counterattacks for the Eagles that resulted in goals.

“That stems from inexperience,� Corbin said. “A lot of times we were up a man, but our players were swimming with their heads down.�

Laguna Hills trailed, 9-5, after three quarters but pulled to within 9-8 when Elaine Frazier scored twice within 30 seconds, the second coming with 2 minutes 54 seconds to play.

But El Segundo answered with two goals by Chrisi Whitney in the final 2:21 to seal the victory.

Noise wasn’t the Hawks’ only problem. El Segundo’s pressure defense also caused trouble. Instead of retreating after a missed shot or turnover, as is normal water polo protocol, El Segundo’s Shelly Baldi and Melissa Neff hounded the ball as if in a full-court pressure defense. They combined for four steals in the Laguna Hills end, twice setting up immediate goals.

Frazier and Christina Silva each had three goals for Laguna Hills and goalie Kim Sherman was impressive with 10 saves for the Hawks, who were in the playoffs for the first time.