Video grab via Twitter By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor Top-seeded Poly fell behind Santa Ana Valley 3-1 in the first quarter, and with a berth in the CIF-SS Division 5 finals at stake. But goalie Kate McInerny’s 10 saves and Talie Wilmans’ 3 goals allowed the Panthers to roar back in the game. Poly allowed […]
Video grab via Twitter
By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor
Top-seeded Poly fell behind Santa Ana Valley 3-1 in the first quarter, and with a berth in the CIF-SS Division 5 finals at stake.
But goalie Kate McInerny’s 10 saves and Talie Wilmans’ 3 goals allowed the Panthers to roar back in the game.
Poly allowed just one goal after the first period, which included two-overtime periods, and the Panthers held on for a 6-4 victory Wednesday evening at Ocean View High School.
The win sets up a Saturday showdown at Irvine High School in the finals, where Poly will take on Xavier Prep.
Xavier Prep took down No. 2 seed Tesoro, 8-7.
The CIF-Southern Section will announce Thursday at 10 a.m. what time the Panthers will play at the William Woollett Aquatics Center for Saturday’s showdown.
Megan Kelleher’s first quarter goal got Poly to within 2-1. She finished with 2 goals for the Panthers.
Kate McInerny was huge, as 5 of those 10 saves came in the two overtime periods.
This will be Poly’s third trip to the finals in the last 5 years. The Panthers were runners up in 2012 and champions in 2015.
Poly head coach Ryan Katsuyama: “We really outplayed Santa Ana Valley, generating many scoring opportunities (46 shots), but the Santa Ana Valley goalkeeper, Samantha Martinez, had an amazing game. Her 23 saves kept the Falcons in the game.
Colleen Woo scored the game tying goal in the 3rd quarter, when she picked up an errant pass from the goalkeeper and put it away from right in front of the goal. Talie Wilmans scored in the first overtime period on a nearly impossible angle from the left side.
Our defense stopped a Santa Ana Valley 6-on-5 advantage with less than :30 seconds left. Following a Poly timeout, Wilmans received the ball mid pool with the goalkeeper defending her. She scored into the empty cage to give us the final 2 goal victory.”
Box Score:
Poly: 1-1-2-0-1-1-(6)
SAV: 3-0-1-0-0-0-(4)
Scoring:
Poly: Talie Wilmans 3, Megan Kelleher 2, Colleen Woo 1; SAV: Alyna Suarez 2, Monica Garcia 1, Hannah Fonacier 1.
Shots: Poly 46; Santa Ana Valley 19.
Goalie Saves: Kate McInerny (Poly) 10; Samantha Martinez (Santa Ana Valley) 23.
Records: Poly 23-5; Santa Ana Valley (24-8)
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