Mater Dei and Orange Lutheran received the top two seeds in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division girls water polo playoffs, which will be contested for the first time this season using a pool-play format for the eight-team competition, following a single-elimination bracket the past three years.
Pool-play matches are scheduled for Feb. 6, Feb. 12 and Feb. 18, with the championship match held Feb. 22 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.
Orange Lutheran (21-3) is the two-time Open Division champion, in addition to winning the Trinity League for the third consecutive year.
Orange Lutheran girls water polo team | Erik Boal photo
But the Lancers, led by UCLA signee Jailynn Robinson, San Diego State-bound goalkeeper Kyla Pranajaya, USC commit Kate Sloman, UC Irvine signee Michelle Urkov, junior standouts Allison Cohen and Estelle Karaba, in addition to sophomore Eve Webb, received the No. 2 seed after winning only one of four regular-season matchups against top-seeded Mater Dei (21-3).
The Monarchs are seeking not only their first section crown in girls water polo program history, following four losses in the division finals, including a 12-4 setback against Orange Lutheran in last year’s Open Division championship match.
Mater Dei, led by Kirra Pantaleon, Maggie Ryan, Delaney Hook, USC signee EJ Hourigan, Indiana commit Penny Mauser, plus USC-bound juniors Riley Johnson and goalkeeper Sienna Sorensen, along with freshman Paige Segesman, prevailed against Orange Lutheran in the Bill Barnett Holiday Cup semifinals Jan. 4, followed by the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions final Jan. 11 and the Newport Invite championship match Jan. 25 at Santa Ana Foothill High.
The Monarchs are paired with No. 4 Oaks Christian (18-7), No. 5 San Marcos (23-8) and No. 8 Corona del Mar (19-7).
Mater Dei went a combined 4-1 against San Marcos and Oaks Christian, but didn’t face Corona del Mar during the regular season.
Orange Lutheran is joined in its pool by No. 3 Newport Harbor (21-5), No. 6 Long Beach Wilson (19-7) and No. 7 Santa Ana Foothill (14-11).
The Lancers went unbeaten in five combined contests against the trio during the regular season.
Orange Lutheran is attempting to become the first girls water polo program to win three consecutive titles in the top division since Dos Pueblos captured three in a row in Division 1 from 2009-11.
Santa Ana Foothill is the only other school to achieve the feat, winning four straight Division 1 crowns from 2000-03.
Beckman (20-6) earned the top seed in Division 1, which features a 16-team, single-elimination bracket, and will compete Feb. 6 against Alta Loma (12-14).
Palos Verdes (26-0), the lone unbeaten girls water polo program in the section, received the No. 2 seed in Division 1 and squares off against Calabasas (21-7) in its playoff opener.
Temple City (21-7) is the top seed in Division 2 and secured a first-round bye, Whittier (14-4) received the No. 1 seed in Division 3, Esperanza is the top seed in Division 4 and was awarded a first-round bye, with California High from Whittier (9-13) the No. 1 seed in Division 5.