Palo Alto high school girls’ water polo defeated San Benito, 13-11 at the Paly pool on Wednesday night, in overtime, qualifying the team for the second round of the Central Coast Section playoffs.

Goalie Abby Bromberg (‘13) lead the team from the defensive end with several saves for the Lady Vikes.  On the offensive end Skylar Dorosin (‘12) was the leading scorer putting in seven goals.

“A win is a win,”  Dorosin said.  “They came out ready to play and we adjusted to that.  You know, it was a battle but we just stayed strong the whole time and we won.”

Even though Paly lost all six sprints of the game, the Vikings were able to control the majority of the first quarter maintaining their lead of 2-0 with both goals scored by Dorosin.

With two minutes remaining in the first quarter, San Benito scored two goals on quick counter attacks tying up the game 2-2. With 21 seconds left in the quarter, Hannah Park (‘12) scored her first goal of the game putting the Viking ahead 3-2.

In the first half alone both teams gave up a possession each after running out their shot clock due to high pressure defense from their opponent.

The stalemate between the teams came to end with San Benito scoring at the buzzer to tie the game up at 5-5.

Going into the game head coach Spencer Dornin was anticipating a tough match up.

“I was expecting a hard game,” Dornin said.  “It’s the playoffs, only the best teams get in.  Hats off to my girls’.  They came out in the crunch time.”

In the second half both teams missed shots off the rim of the goal in their attempted fast break counters.  As time ran out Paly played more conservatively on it’s offensive possession’s to be sure not to give the ball away without an on frame shot. With three minute left in the game Paly took a two point lead, 10-8.

Trying to catch up, San Benito called two time outs in the remaining  minute. With only  two minutes left in the game the San Benito ‘Balers scored, and then again with 25 seconds left, tying the game at 10-10.

Due to the tied score, the game went into overtime, consisting of two, three minute periods.

The Lady Vikes began the first overtime period off strong with Park assisting to Dorosin in the first minute.  The goal was followed by two back-to-back saves by Bromberg allowing Paly to hold on to their 11-10 lead going into the second overtime period.

In the second quarter, Paly looked to stall but struggled to keep possession of the ball on the offensive end.  Paly’s defense struggled to get back in time to defend before San Benito put another point in, tying the game again.

With 1:39 left in the second overtime period Dorosin scored her last of seven goals of the game.  Although San Benito called a time out, their last offensive opportunity was blocked by Bromberg.  From the other end of the pool, Martine Leclerc (‘13) took a buzzer shot, giving the Lady Vikes a two point lead in the end.

With Leclerc’s last second shot the Vikings won the game 13-11 and look forward to play in the next round of CCS on Saturday against Leland.

Leclerc was among many who proud of the way the girls’ turned around the game to pull out with the win in the end.

“We were a little conflicted at the begining [of the game].  But once we got to the end of the last quarter [of the overtime] we finally got everything straightened [out],” Leclerc said.

Coach Dornin is optimistic about the girl’s ability to pull out with a win in such a close game and hopes the girls’ can do it again this weekend.

“[We are concentrating on] one game at a time” Dornin said.