BOYS WATER POLO

SATURDAY

DIVISION II FINAL

SERVITE (20-13) VS. MATER DEI (23-7)

Site, time: William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center (adjacent to Irvine High, 3:45 p.m.

Outlook: In the teams’ Trinity League showdown Oct. 9, host Servite scored the first four goals but the Monarchs rallied for an 8-5 victory.

Top-seeded Mater Dei is seeking its first section title. Last season, the Monarchs made their first appearance in a CIF final but fell to Villa Park, 6-4.

Mater Dei’s playoff run has been powered by stingy defense. The Monarchs are allowing an average of 3.6 goals per match. Goalie Colin Carroll is averaging 11 saves in the run.

Attacker Alex Wherry (88 goals) has paced the Monarchs’ scoring in CIF by averaging four goals per match.

Unseeded Servite finished in a three-way tie for second place in league and won a tie-breaker match to enter the playoff as the Trinity’s No. 3 entry.

The Friars have a powerful center in Cruz Smithson (92 goals) but have flourished in the playoffs with a balanced attack. Six players scored in a 9-7 victory against JSerra in the semifinals while five scored in a 9-8 upset of second-seeded Villa Park in the quarterfinals.

Servite is 2-0 in Division II finals this decade (2005, 2002).

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