Who says the Metro Conference can’t produce exciting boys water polo games? The Bonita Vista Barons answered that question by pulling out an exciting 16-14 overtime win over the Hilltop Lancers Tuesday evening at the Southwestern College pool in the Mesa League opener for both teams.
“Nail-biting, back-and-forth, the teams kept trading goals,” BVHS coach Betty Alexander said. “Our guys were excited because they hadn’t beaten Hilltop in years.”
The teams were tied 12-all at the end of regulation play. In fact, the Barons had a chance to win the game with two seconds to play but Bryan Murrillo’s point-blank shot caromed off the crossbar.
Murrillo, however, redeemed himself in the overtime period by scoring twice along with teammate Jose Ibanez.
But the game’s final minute was tense after the Lancers battled back on unanswered goals by Wyatt Schmidt and Austin Kober to trim the Baron lead to 15-14.
Murrillo finally put things to rest by scoring his sixth goal of the game with 21 seconds to play in the second three-minute OT period.
“It feels amazing, it takes a weight off our shoulders to get that first league win,” Murrillo said.
BV goalie Diego Sanchez came up big with 12 saves while Hilltop’s Greg Del Rio was credited with eight stops.
Ibanez and Ezekiel Flores each contributed three goals to the Barons’ cause while Greg Schiefer scored twice and Matt Ayala and Chris Montoya each scored once.
Schmidt led Hilltop with four goals while Emilio Maldonado, Caleb Macias, Anthony Torroll and Kober each scored twice and Franco Reynoso and Josh Fischer each had one goal.
Bonita Vista improved to 6-6 overall with Tuesday’s win. The Barons finished 3-2 at the preceding Fall Classic, played Sept. 29, Oct. 3-4. Bonita Vista dropped its opening two tourney games to Santana (19-6) and Clairemont (12-8) but finished with three wins by defeating San Ysidro (15-9), Classical Academy (11-10) and Mission Bay (15-6).
The Barons recorded their first regular season win Sept. 19 by topping San Ysidro 14-6.
Hilltop dropped to 2-6 overall on the season.
