Girls water polo: Garcia's grit helps Mundelein hang on
Seemingly shy and soft-spoken, Mundelein sophomore defender Amanda Garcia has a different disposition when she hits the water.
Garcia's tenacity on the defensive end was a big part of the team dynamic as Mundelein's girls water polo team sneaked past visiting Maine West 8-7 in nonconference action Thursday evening in Mundelein.
"Defense is so important so I just try and be aware and be on the look out for where the ball is and who's shooting," Garcia said after the Mustangs improved to 7-14. "A game like this was big for us and helps toward pumping us up for sectionals in a few weeks."
Garcia also contributed offensively with a heads-up play. With the match tied 6-6 entering the fourth quarter, a wild play took place when Mundelein sophomore center Abbie Lukas took a shot from the left side. The ball fell short and wavered on the goal line for several seconds. Maine South's goalie had raced out to get the ball away from Lukas and, after the shot, a sprint to the floating ball ensued.
Garcia hustled to the ball and nudged it past the goal line for a 7-6 lead. It turned out to be the eventual game-winner.
"I swam as fast as I could to get to that ball," Garcia said.
Goalkeeping was also at a premium for Mundelein, with seniors Tara Lawson (8 saves) and Gabby Potillo (3 saves) doing admirably in splitting time in the net. Lawson played the first, third and fourth periods, while Potillo tended goal for the second stanza.
After Mundelein seized the lead for good, Lawson made 3 huge saves in the last three minutes of regulation. One of her stops was on a penalty shot.
Mundelein added a late insurance goal when Lukas drilled one in for an 8-6 lead with 1:13 remaining in regulation. Maine West closed the gap to 8-7 in the closing minute, but Mundelein did an excellent job of keeping the ball away to preserve the victory.
"This was one of the most exciting games we've had," Mundelein coach Alice Denny said. "We're fortunate to have several different scorers. It helps keep the defense guessing. We needed a win like this because we've lost some really close games."
After Maine West scored the opening goal not even a minute into the contest, Mundelein exploded with 4 unanswered goals to take a 4-1 lead heading to the second.
Ella Krauss scored her first goal to tie it at 1-1 with 5:36 left in the period. Then, 21 seconds later, senior defender Jahnvi Modi got into the mix with a shot off the fingertips of the Maine West keeper for a 2-1 advantage.
With 2:27 remaining, Lukas scored the first of her 3 goals, while junior attacker Jessica Peterson knocked in her own rebound at the 30-second mark.
The Warriors trailed 4-2 at halftime after scoring the lone second period goal. An action-packed third period saw Maine West climb back into the game after outscoring Mundelein 4-2 in the frame. The Mustangs' two goals were scored when Garcia assisted Krauss, followed by a goal on a penalty shot by Lukas.
"Our defense is really stepping up," Denny said. "We've allowed under 10 goals per game, and on offense we're getting more shots on goal."