Top-seeded Santa Barbara High rallied from an early deficit to secure a 13-12 victory over Temple City in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls water polo quarterfinals Friday afternoon.
The Dons will host Murrieta Valley in the semifinals Tuesday at 5 p.m., continuing their postseason run in their home pool.
Santa Barbara faced early adversity, falling behind 6-3 in the second quarter. Temple City capitalized on its offensive opportunities in the opening half, but the Dons regrouped defensively and limited their opponent to six goals over the remainder of the contest.
The comeback began to take shape in the third quarter. Santa Barbara pulled even at 6-6 early in the period, sparking a back-and-forth stretch that featured five ties. By the end of the quarter, the Dons had edged ahead 12–10, setting up a tense final eight minutes.
Clinging to a 13-12 advantage in the closing seconds, Santa Barbara relied on its defense once more. With 15 seconds remaining, Temple City maintained possession and sought a final shot to force overtime. The Dons held firm, preventing a clean attempt and preserving the one-goal victory.
Jules Horton led the offensive charge with four goals while drawing four exclusions. Luna Morancey also netted four goals and added three steals. Violette Bailey contributed three goals, three assists and five steals in an all-around performance, and Rose Nelley chipped in two goals and two assists
With the win, Santa Barbara advances to the Division 2 semifinals, just two wins away from a CIF-SS Championship.
