State Quaterfinal Article

Newberg gelling as they play through state tournament
6A Water polo — Tigers show their best form of the season in state quarterfinal win over South Eugene
Published: 11/10/2010 11:45:09 AM

BEAVERTON — Heading into the season with very little experience outside of senior goalie Meghan O’Halloran and the sophomore trio of Alysha Bush, Alexis Vargas and Cassie Beecher in the field, Newberg knew it had to develop some depth in order to challenge for a sixth consecutive state championship.

After dominating Aloha 18-3, Newberg showed it may have done just that with a 9-5 state quarterfinal victory over South Eugene Saturday at the Tualatin Hills Aquatic Center.

“The second game our girls really stepped up and it’s the best I’ve seen them play together,” head coach Jim McMaster said. “There was more than one person that was a threat. We have our girls that usually score all our goals, but Clara Pugsley, Kylie Dunn and Rebekah Carey, those three really stepped up with scoring to keep the other team off balance. They played really well.”

Bush led the Tigers with three goals in the game, but Dunn scored twice in the second quarter, Pugsley had two goals in the third and Carey closed out with two in the fourth.

“I wasn’t sure we would beat South Eugene, but we shut them down really well,” McMaster said. “Cassie Beecher shut down their No. 1 player. They double teamed Alysha (Bush) the whole time and she was still able to score and lead those girls away so the other girls could do something. It was a whole group effort.”

O’Halloran also made 13 blocks in the victory.

“Megan did a great job,” McMaster said. “She was leading the team verbally, she was leading the team in passing down the pool on our counterattacks and she was blocking a lot of balls. She was frustrating for the other team to play against.”

Newberg will face Sam Barlow at 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Osborne Aquatic Center in Corvalis, with top-ranked Tualatin likely awaiting the winner in the finals on Saturday.

“I think we have the ability to beat Tualatin,” McMaster said. “We just have to get our ducks in a row and play as a group. But we’re in the top four and that’s exciting.”