PREP WATER POLO ROUNDUP : El Toro Defeats No. 3 San Clemente
- Share via
El Toro, the top-ranked team in the Southern Section Division I, used a strong defense to defeat No. 3 San Clemente, 8-6, in a South Coast League game Thursday.
“It was more than a big game,” El Toro Coach Don Stoll said. “It was also important for the league championship.”
Neither team was able to establish a big lead. The score was tied four times, including 5-5 at the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Brent Stoll gave the Chargers a brief lead before the Tritons’ Phinney Gardner tied the score, 6-6, with 2 minutes 24 seconds left in the game. On the Chargers’ next possession, Matt Tilton put El Toro up for good with his first goal of the game.
Charger goalie Greg Stoll made two crucial saves down the stretch to help preserve the victory and Bill Pinciroli added his game-high third goal with 46 seconds to play for the final margin.
Greg Stoll ended the game with 12 saves, and the Tritons’ Gabe Gardner stopped nine shots.
“When two good teams battle, it comes down to the team with the ball in the end,” Don Stoll said. “My hat’s off to San Clemente. They battled hard.”
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
