Girls Water Polo Makes Regional Semis

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

The Palisades Charter High School girls water polo team was a heavy underdog in February 23’s Southern California Regional Division III semifinal game against Mt. Carmel, but someone must have forgotten to tell the Dolphins, who put up a spirited fight before falling 13-9 at Mt. San Antonio College.

Lilli Fox and Kylie Lupescu each scored three goals, Taylor Gair scored twice, and Genesis Zuniga added one goal for the fourth-seeded Dolphins (17-8), who were trying to advance to their second regional final, having first done so in 2019.

Fox scored off a pass from Bailey Gair (Taylor’s younger sister) to tie it 1-1 and scored again off an assist from Zuniga to tie it 2-2 late in the first quarter. The San Diego Section Division 2 champions answered with a goal to go ahead 3-2 at the end of the first quarter and followed with three straight goals to begin the second quarter before Bailey Gair fed Lupescu for a goal that trimmed Palisades’ deficit to 6-3 at halftime.

Taylor Gair opened the second half with a goal and assisted on Lupescu’s goal two minutes later to pull the Dolphins within two at 7-5 but the Sundevils (25-7) scored three consecutive goals to extend their lead to to 10-5 before Fox passed to Taylor Gair for a goal to close out the third quarter.

The teams alternated goals in the fourth quarter with Zuniga, Lupescu and Fox tallying for Palisades. Junior goalie Triana Paris made seven saves.

No. 1-seeded Mt. Carmel routed No. 2 Chaparral 23-7 in the finals the next day, making Palisades’ effort that much more impressive. Chaparral had beaten Birmingham 18-6 in February 23’s first semifinal.

Palisades rallied from a three-goal halftime deficit to defeat Birmingham 14-11 to win the City Open Division championship February 15 at Valley College.

“This was the No. 1 seed and you pushed them the whole game,” head coach Joe Vernaza said. “It shows how good we can be and gives us a lot to build on next season. It’s all about getting better.”

Palisades defeated fifth-seeded Classical Academy of Escondido 9-5 in the first round last Tuesday, February 20.