U.S. Team in Water Polo Tournament

The U.S. Women’s National Water Polo Team begins play today in the Holiday Cup at the team’s training facility at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Los Alamitos. It will be the first major competition at the site since the pool’s restoration began in 1995.

Today’s first-round games match Australia and Canada, currently ranked fifth in the world, at 6:30 p.m., followed by the fourth-ranked U.S. team against Brazil at 8. On Friday, Canada plays Brazil at 6:30 and the U.S. meets Australia at 8.

Saturday’s schedule has Australia playing Brazil at 4:30 and the U.S. playing Canada at 6. The tournament’s championship game is Sunday at 2 p.m. The third-place game is 12:30 p.m.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students.

In recent pre-tournament matches, the United States defeated Canada, 7-5, Tuesday in Poway after winning, 10-6, Saturday in Newport Beach. On Monday, Australia defeated the U.S. team, 8-7, at El Toro High.

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Fullerton College pitchers Ken Chenard and Bobby Cramer have signed with Division I schools, Fullerton Coach Nick Fuscardo announced.

Chenard, a 6-foot-3 sophomore who was selected by the New York Mets in the 46th round of last June’s amateur draft, will attend Oklahoma State. A right-hander, Chenard finished 2-7 with a 5.46 earned-run average for Fullerton last spring. He gave up 66 hits in 62 2/3 innings, striking out 26 and walking 27.

Cramer, a 6-0 sophomore who was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 34th round of last June’s draft, signed with Long Beach State. A left-hander from Loara High, Cramer was 1-3 with a 5.34 ERA last season. He pitched 32 innings, giving up 45 hits, striking out 35 and walking 32.

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Robyn Piotrowski, a senior at San Dimas High School, has committed to play soccer at UC Irvine, her father, Bob, said.

Piotrowski, a midfielder, is a three-time All-Southern Section selection in soccer. She also plays softball and runs cross-country. She has been named first-team All-Valle Vista League 10 times in her three sports.

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Ken Parker, founder of the Los Alamitos Tennis Club, has been named men’s and women’s tennis coach at Chapman, Athletic Director David Currey announced Wednesday.

Parker, 43, has been director of tennis for the city of Los Alamitos and had coached the Los Alamitos High boys’ tennis team to seven league championships and the girls’ team to three.

He is a graduate of Long Beach State.