Alta Loma girls water polo team ends unbeaten run of top-seeded Palos Verdes, advances to third straight CIF-Southern Section semifinal, first in Division 1

PALOS VERDES – Carly Berzins knows there is a significant difference between postseason participation and championship experience, and the visiting Alta Loma girls water polo team benefited from that battle-tested background Wednesday against top-seeded Palos Verdes in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals.

Berzins, a junior who has earned division player of the year honors the past two seasons in contributing to a pair of section championships for Alta Loma, had a match-high four goals to go along with an assist and three steals to lead the Braves to a 10-7 victory against previously unbeaten Palos Verdes.

Post-match interviews

Alta Loma (16-14) advanced to the semifinals Tuesday at San Clemente (21-8) – an 8-7 winner Wednesday against Irvine Beckman – in pursuit of a third consecutive section title after winning the Division 4 crown in 2023, followed by the Division 2 championship last year.

Alta Loma girls water polo team | Erik Boal photo

Palos Verdes (27-1) received three goals and three steals from Indiana-bound senior Jane Girard, but struggled to mount a consistent attack against the speed and perimeter defense of Alta Loma.

The Sea Kings became the seventh school in Southern Section history to open the season with at least 27 consecutive victories, including a 14-10 nonleague triumph Dec. 9 against Alta Loma.

But the Braves quickly demonstrated the significant strides made by the lineup during the past two months by scoring twice in the first two minutes on goals by junior Geli Cinquemani and senior Payton White.

Palos Verdes managed to find its rhythm late in the first quarter, with Girard and freshman Kylie Nishimura scoring 45 seconds apart to pull the Sea Kings even at 2-2.

Berzins and Girard traded goals in the opening minute of the second quarter, but the rest of the half belonged to Alta Loma.

Girard was whistled for her second exclusion early in the quarter and the Braves took advantage before halftime to build a 5-3 lead at the break on goals by junior Mollie Kochel and White.

Palos Verdes endured a drought of more than eight minutes in between goals, before Girard cut the deficit to 6-4 with 5:28 remaining in the third.

Abbey Higgins, a sophomore, added a goal for the Sea Kings in the quarter, but it was sandwiched in between a pair of scores from Berzins, including a 5-meter penalty shot with 2:08 left.

Kochel scored with 42 seconds remaining in the third, resulting in the biggest deficit of the season for Palos Verdes at 9-5 entering the final quarter.

Maddie Marohn, a senior goalkeeper, gave the Sea Kings a boost early in the fourth by blocking another 5-meter penalty shot from Berzins, with freshman Ella Keene capitalizing on the momentum swing to score 25 seconds later off an assist from Nishimura to bring Palos Verdes within 9-6.

Keene returned the favor to Nishimura with 2:22 remaining to cut the deficit to 9-7, but despite being forced to change caps during a timeout, it didn’t prevent Berzins from making another timely contribution.

Berzins produced the most impactful score of the match with 1:41 left to help Alta Loma regain a three-goal advantage.

Charlotte Winters, a senior goalkeeper, then blocked a 5-meter penalty shot attempt by Girard with 1:30 remaining to erase any hopes of a potential Palos Verdes comeback.

Winters recorded 10 saves, with Kochel and White both scoring twice, in addition to Katie Hugar adding a goal and fellow senior Megan Lakkees contributing three steals for the Braves.

Marohn had six saves for Palos Verdes, which reached the Division 3 final last season, before suffering a 9-1 setback against Corona Centennial.

Alta Loma will also square off for the second time this season against San Clemente, seeking a measure of revenge following an 11-9 setback Jan. 3 in the Bill Barnett Holiday Cup at Santa Ana Foothill High.