The562’s coverage of aquatic sports in Long Beach in 2025-26 is sponsored by Watersafe Swim School.
The562’s coverage of Cabrillo Athletics is sponsored by the Cohn Family.
The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
Cabrillo girls’ water polo’s biggest strength entering the year was its experience.
The Jaguars boast a veteran-heavy squad, with several vocal leaders who help mitigate adverse scenarios. But against Lakewood on Tuesday evening, freshman goalkeeper Roselyn Lucindo took that onus.
A clinical Cabrillo took a five-goal lead into halftime, but failed to score after the break. The Lancers slowly shaved into that deficit during the final two quarters, but Lucindo produced five second-half saves — a vital display in the Jaguars’ 7-5 win at Lakewood’s Aquatics Center.
“That’s something I look for in a goalie, because they’re the only ones that can see the entire playing field,” Jags coach Julia Camacho said of Lucindo’s leadership. “I need to make sure that they’re able to be really vocal and call everything out, as well as ask for help when they need help.”
Lucindo described communication as “the difference between winning and losing.”
The poised freshman helped the Jaguars stay organized defensively, which particularly showed in the first half. Danika Beaird’s two goals represented the Lancers’ only offensive output from the first two quarters. Lucindo saved Lakewood’s four other shots on target — two of those stops coming in quick succession at the start of the game.
Seniors Cecilia Herrera and Chelsea Tzunun validated their goalkeeper’s work at the other end of the pool. Both scored with lofted efforts from distance, giving Cabrillo an early 2-0 advantage.
Lakewood head coach Ian Schubert urged his team to press more aggressively following those long-range scores. The Jaguars promptly adjusted, working the ball closer to the cage on ensuing possessions.
“Sometimes we can’t get the ball inside at all because they’ll double team our set. That happens quite often,” Camacho said. “So usually we’ll try to adapt.”
Flor Garibay got more touches because of the altered offensive approach. The senior scored four of Cabrillo’s next five, as the visitors took a 7-2 lead into halftime.
Lucindo kept them afloat from there. The freshman saved from point-blank range at the start of the third quarter, and followed that up with two more denials over the next few minutes.
Adianna Menjivar-Nunez broke Lakewood’s goal drought with 30 seconds left in the period, fostering momentum that saw the Lancers score on their first possession of the fourth quarter as well.
With a diminishing margin for error during the closing minutes, Lucindo preserved the multi-score lead with her final two saves of the afternoon — one of which was an acrobatic block on a shot from just a few feet away.
Sensing some frustration among her team, Camacho called a timeout with just under three and a half minutes remaining.
“It was just me trying to get them to know how to play the game, remember what they’re doing, and let them know that they only have three minutes left,” she said.
That brief reset yielded success.
Cabrillo limited the Lancers to one goal from their final three possessions, staving off the late comeback and earning a marquee victory to open Moore League play.
