Friends Lead Sundevils Surge

RANCHO PENASQUITOS - In her early days as a water polo player, Mt. Carmel High senior Christina Webb became known for a powerful shot. However, it was often right at the goalkeeper. No one knows that better than senior teammate Karalee Angus, the goalie on the other end of Webb's shots in practice. "I'd just expect it to come at my face, and it was hard," Angus said. "She definitely knows how to place her shot now. It's made her a much better player." The transformation took hold last season in Webb's second year on the varsity. In the same way, the Sundevils have found their mark as a team. After going 10-0 in the Palomar League last season, Mt. Carmel duplicated that record this year in the Valley League. The Sundevils (22-8), who moved to Division I this season, enter the San Diego Section playoffs as a promising contender. The quarterfinals are Saturday at La Jolla High's Coggan Pool. Webb can sheepishly turn to Angus and offer an apology for her direct shots of the past. They are longtime friends. Webb also can kid the 5-foot-4 Angus about her relatively short stature in goal. "She's pretty good for being little," Webb said with a smile. "She's always really supportive. If our team's starting to fall behind, she calms us down and pulls us together." Angus has been the Sundevils' starting goalie since her freshman year. She was installed in the position by coach Jon Au, who was in his first season coaching the girls following a stint heading the boys program. "The most remarkable thing about her is that when we have a big game, she plays her best," Au said. "You can't say that about everybody. We've come to rely on that." Angus brushed aside frequent comments about her height. "Every coach tells me that, and every other player tells me that," said Angus, projected as a starter next year at Wheaton (Ill.) College. "I do have strong legs. Whenever I've gone on club teams, the other goalies have always been taller than me. But it's an accomplishment that I'm so short and I can be as good as them." Webb leads a balanced scoring attack for the Sundevils. She operates close to the goal on power plays, but most of her blasts come from the outside. "She has a cannon and a really good perimeter shot," Au said. "She has learned how to use it and control it. Now that she's a senior, she turned great." Webb, who competes for the Mt. Carmel swim team, took up water polo along with Angus a year before entering high school. They joined the same club team. "In water polo, there's strategy, and it's intense," said Webb, who will play at Cal Baptist University. "It's just so much fun. I loved it from my first game." Webb and Angus serve as co-captains for the Sundevils. Junior Wendy Dorr has returned to the starting lineup, and Mojgan Malekpour and Emily Bell have stepped up from junior varsity after practicing with the varsity a year ago. "Our chemistry as a team is different this season," Angus said, "but it's definitely good again." In other words, the Sundevils are right on target.