Mater Dei’s girls water polo team finally got past nemesis Laguna Beach on Saturday. The second-ranked Monarchs used strong play in the second and third periods to defeat the No, 1 Breakers, 6-5, in a nonleague match at Mater Dei.
Laguna Beach, the reigning CIF-SS Division 1 champion, led, 3-1, after the first period but the Monarchs outscored the Breakers 4-1 in the middle quarters to take a 5-4 lead into the fourth.
Mater Dei (11-2) snapped Laguna Beach’s 44-match winning streak.
The Monarchs lost to the Breakers in the finals of the Holiday Cup this season and four times last season.
Alex Peros scored twice for Laguna Beach (13-1) while Thea Walsh added 13 saves.