Rampage Loss Puts Zodiac in Open Cup

Thanks to a loss last week by the Milwaukee Rampage, the Orange County Zodiac has qualified for the U.S. Open Cup soccer tournament.

Milwaukee, which blew a late 2-1 lead to New Orleans, finished six-game qualifying play with 14 points, two points behind the Zodiac.

Later this month or early July, the Zodiac will play the winner of the Division 3 game between the Carolina Dynamo and Milwaukee Barbarians. Because the A-League Zodiac is the higher-seeded team, it has the option of hosting its first-round match or traveling.

SOFTBALL

* Melissa Hobson has signed with North Dakota State, according to her coach at El Dorado, Jill Matyuch. Hobson was 10-1 with a 0.74 earned-run average for the Golden Hawks.

TENNIS

* Alessandra Retti has signed a letter of intent to play tennis at UC Irvine, Anteater Coach Mike Edles said.

Retti is ranked 32nd in Switzerland. She spent six years playing for that country’s Junior National team, where she was a teammate of Martina Hingis.

TENNIS

* The Los Caballeros Racquet and Sports Club in Fountain Valley will host the 97th Annual Southern California Junior Sectional Invitational tennis championships June 19-27.

Approximately 1,500 athletes will compete, including Mater Dei’s Melissa Esmero. Main-draw play begins June 23.

For more information contact Los Caballeros at (714) 546-8560, ext. 0.

SWIMMING

* Mission Viejo High swimmer Jessica Klenner signed with Fresno State, Bulldog Coach Daniella Irle announced.Klenner, a mid-distance to distance freestyle specialist, also swims for the Mission Viejo Nadadores.

WRESTLING

* Dominic Bulone has been named wrestling coach at Newport Harbor High School. He replaces Lee Heigl, who resigned after one season. Bulone, who wrestled at Irvine High, teaches math at Newport Harbor.