Unlike their first meeting, it didn’t take overtime or sudden victory periods of play for the Auburn Mountainview Lions to top Enumclaw in the two team’s Eastern Division girls water polo rematch Thursday. In a game that seesawed back and forth, the Lions took the lead late in the third period and held on for a 4-3 victory.

The win gives undefeated Auburn Mountainview the top spot in the South Sound Girls Water Polo League’s Eastern Division. The Hornets sit in second place with a 4-2 league record, 7-2 overall.

The Hornets travel to Sumner for a 3:15 p.m. game Thursday against the Spartans and turnaround Friday to host Puyallup in a non-league match. Game time is 4:30 p.m. at the Enumclaw Aquatic Center.

The game with Auburn Mountainview was a defensive struggle with neither team showing its best offense. After more than six minutes of scoreless play in the first quarter, Enumclaw’s Tianna Hogan found the net. Mountainview tied the game with 1 minute, 48 seconds remaining in the first half.

After the break, Lindsay Bowden scored for the Hornets, 1:48 into the third period, but Mountainview tied the game with 1:23 remaining in the period. The Lions took the lead for good 23 seconds later on a goal by Stephanie Bluhm.

Mountainview scored early in the final frame to take a 4-2 lead. Hogan trimmed the lead with a goal with 31 seconds left in the game, but the Lions were able to run out the clock for the victory.

“We’d expect to win a game where we limit our opponent to four goals,” coach Ken DeMan said. “We had plenty of good looks at the goal, but just missed too many opportunities.”

Reach Brenda Sexton at bsexton@courierherald.com or 360-802-8206.