ACHS earns playoff berth by dominating Oxnard
Girls' water polo team finishes third in PVL
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers REJECTED- Camarillo High goalkeeper Kristen Prosser swats away a shot attempt during Tuesday's 8-4 victory over Oxnard.

The Camarillo High girls' water polo team found itself in an alltoo-familiar situation.

A year ago the Scorpions lost to Pacifica in the regular-season finale. The defeat cost ACHS an opportunity to go to the playoffs.

A chance for redemption came Tuesday afternoon at Rio Mesa High, in a game against Pacific View League rival Oxnard.

Camarillo needed a victory to secure the league's No. 3 position and a guaranteed postseason berth. A loss would've meant a quick rematch against Oxnard with the season on the line.

"We've put so much time into this," Camarillo head coach Tawney Safren said afterward. "We have morning practices; we have summer. There were a bunch of new girls. A lot of our seniors left last year. It's been intense . . . but it finally paid off."

The Scorpions came out focused against Oxnard. They beat the Yellowjackets in every facet of the game, winning 8-4 in a match that wasn't even close.

"We just tried to give each other positive reinforcement," senior co-captain Heather Webster said. "That was it- staying positive. It feels so much better than last year."

Two-and-a-half minutes into the match, Melissa Thomas scored Camarillo's first goal. Oxnard's Amanda Coronado evened the score shortly thereafter, and the period ended with a 1-1 tie.

Unbeknown to Oxnard, it was the last time they'd find the back of the Scorpion net until less than two minutes remained in the game. When Oxnard wasn't shooting too high, Camarillo goalkeeper Kristen Prosser was turning away everything the Yellowjackets had to offer.

"I really wanted to play well," Prosser said. "It was important."

Safren said it was a typical performance from her senior cocaptain. "Kristen usually gets about 1015 blocks per game," Safren said. "She's just an amazing goalkeeper."

Michelle Nunn added a pair of second-period goals to put ACHS up 3-1 at intermission.

The Scorpions pulled away for good midway through the third period. Thomas scored for the second time to make it 4-1. At the 3-minute mark, Nunn added another goal.

Webster got into the act with a pair of scores to close out the third period. Camarillo led 7-1.

Michelle Elrich finished the scoring for Camarillo with 2:25 remaining in the contest. After getting the ball on a breakaway, Elrich fired a shot at the Oxnard goalkeeper, only to have it deflected. Elrich gathered the loose ball and lobbed it over the keeper and into the cage.

Oxnard added three late goals, two by Coronado and another by Destini Barajas.

The Scorpions concluded the regular season 13-7 overall and 6-4 in the Pacific View League, where they finished behind Rio Mesa and Pacifica.

The CIF-Southern Section girls' water polo playoff brackets will be released on Monday. All three schools compete in Division IV. Rio Mesa is ranked third in the division.

Safren said the ACHS girls are looking forward to the challenge of returning to the playoffs.

"We'll be a wild card," she said. "But hopefully we can improve upon what we've done in the past. We didn't even make CIF last year, so this is a big move up for us."