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IRVINE — A dazzling blend of experienced and rising talent. Resiliency to peak amid stormy waters. And a coach who continues to connect well with his players.
The SET Black 18-and-under girls channeled all their strengths Sunday to defeat Regency 8-5 in the finals of the USA Water Polo Junior Olympics at Woollett Aquatics Center.
With players such as Allison Cohen supplying the experience and Christina Flynn flashing her budding skills, SET capped a gutsy tournament run to claim its third consecutive title at 18s.
“The people who are experienced came through but the youth also came through for us,” said SET coach Ethan Damato, the recently-hired JSerra coach who secured his first Junior Olympics title at 18s. “They’re winners.”
Flynn, a strong-armed junior from Leland High in San Jose, scored three goals off the bench — including the go-ahead strike late in the third period — to earn tournament MVP.
The youngest of four girls, Flynn, 16, scored from about 5 meters with 53 seconds left in the third period to give SET a 5-4 lead.
The sister of U.S. Olympic attacker Jenna Flynn and former UC Irvine and Cal standout Nina Flynn, Flynn scored moments after Regency failed to convert a penalty shot.
“She’s insane,” attacker Kara Carver of SET said of Flynn. “I don’t understand how she’s so young and has that much talent.”
Cohen, a returning all-tournament selection for SET, set the tone for the fourth period by defending center three times to help keep Regency off the scoreboard.
The defense by the Orange Lutheran senior, who recently committed to Stanford, loomed even more significant as Flynn scored on the power-play about two minutes into the fourth period for a 6-4 lead.
“She’s one of the best players, if not the best player, in high school,” Damato said of Cohen, who had two goals, an assist, a steal and won two sprints. “Allison has been our rock this whole tournament kind of doing whatever we need.”
El Toro product Lulu Gaetano, bound for Arizona State, added a sweep shot from center with 3:20 left in the fourth to extend SET’s lead to 7-4.
Flynn then capped a 4-0 run by SET with another power-play strike to help SET finish 4 for 5 with the extra attacker.
SET’s defense also received strong play in goal from Siena Jumani (Laguna Beach) and Clarysa Sirls (Corona Centennial), who combined for 12 saves.
In the semifinals Sunday, SET edged No. 1 seed SOCAL 10-9 on a late strike by left-hander Didi Evans (Corona del Mar) to avenge a loss to SOCAL on Friday.
SET won three matches on Saturday to fight its way back into contention.
“It just says so much about our resilience,” Damato said. “We had a really tough road. We just kept getting better as the tournament went on.”
Flynn added, “In the tough moments, we had to come together and do it together because it was the only way it was going to work.”
Carver, who earned the eighth gold medal of her career at Junior Olympics, believes Damato’s coaching played a key role.
“He knows how to get on you when you need it but he also knows how to get on you in a nice way when you need someone to support you,” the former Laguna Beach standout said of Damato. “He’s very nurturing.”
Sophomore Paige Segesman scored three first-half goals to lead Regency, a younger team featuring players from Mater Dei. Goalie Sienna Sorensen, a USC commit, added nine saves.
Regency went 1 for 8 with the extra attacker.
In the 16-and-under girls final, Newport Beach defeated Santa Barbara 805 13-8. Newport Beach also claimed titles at the 14s and 10s.
On Tuesday in the boys 18-and-under final, an experienced North Irvine Beast Boys defeated No. 1 seed and two-time defending champion Newport Beach 9-5. Like the Regency girls, Newport Beach was the younger team.