COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Titans Hand UCI Women 12th Consecutive Defeat

The UC Irvine women’s team lost its 12th game in a row Thursday, falling 67-46 to Cal State Fullerton in Titan Gym.

Irvine also learned that Yvonne Catala, a freshman forward who had been the team’s leading scorer, will be out the rest of the season. Catala injured her knee against Nevada Las Vegas Saturday, but Coach Dean Andrea hoped she would be able to return this season. But a Magnetic Resonance Imaging test showed a cartilage tear, and Andrea said Catala will not be back.

The Anteaters (1-15, 0-7) fell behind by 18 points at halftime Thursday and trailed by as many as 26.

“It’s getting to be like the Navy,” Andrea said. “Every day is an adventure.”

Only two Irvine players--Kathy Lizarraga and Kim Cox--scored in double figures. Both scored 11.

Fullerton (9-9, 4-5) has won three consecutive games after losing five in a row.

Genia Miller scored 20 points and had 13 rebounds in the victory. Jill Matyuch added 13 points and Kathy Werth had 12.

“We have a chance to dig ourselves out,” Fullerton Coach Maryalyce Jeremiah said. “But if we lose a game to any one other than the top three (Nevada Las Vegas, Cal State Long Beach and Hawaii), that changes the perspective. . . . We’d probably be very happy with a 15-win season. We’d have to win six of our last nine, but it’s possible.”