Irvine Water Polo Team Could Be on Verge of Season for Ages
The UC Irvine men’s water polo team enters Saturday’s Southern California tournament, which features the top 12 ranked teams in the nation, with a couple of big notches already on its belt.
The fifth-ranked Anteaters (2-0, 1-0) opened the season Saturday by upsetting top-ranked UCLA, 9-7, in overtime. Then they began Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play Sunday with a 13-7 victory over No. 9 UC Santa Barbara.
It’s too early to tell, but this team could be special, Coach Ted Newland said.
“This is a really old team. I have nine seniors and that’s pretty amazing,” Newland said. “I’ve been around a long time and I’ve never had this many seniors together in my life. They’ve grown up a lot since they came here. They’ve matured and understand what we are going to do.”
Jeff Powers has seven goals, Dan Klatt has six and goalie Dan Hipp has 22 saves.
“Dan is playing very well,” Newland said. “The players feel pretty comfortable playing with him. I’m very pleased. The kids did an excellent job. We were a very good defensive team.”
Irvine opens pool play at Corona del Mar High Saturday against Navy at 11:20 a.m., then plays USC at 3:40 p.m. The finals are Sunday at 5:50 p.m.
TITAN S0CCER 4-0
The Cal State Fullerton men’s soccer team is nationally ranked and unbeaten after four matches.
“This is what we were expected to do, and we’re doing it,” Titan Coach Al Mistri said. “The team is getting better each week, and that’s what counts. But we’ve still got a long way to go.”
The Titans are ranked seventh in the Collegiate Soccer Coaches Assn. poll and 18th by Soccer America.
The Titans defeated Missouri Kansas City and Buffalo last weekend, scoring four goals in each game.
Goalkeeper Sean Rockwell returned to the starting lineup Sunday after being slowed by a hamstring injury early in the season. Rockwell missed all of last season because of a knee injury suffered in preseason practice.
Mistri is uncertain about the status of freshman forward Sean Giudice, who has been sidelined after experiencing chest pains in the opening game against Rutgers. Trainer Chris Mumaw said Giudice is scheduled to be examined by a specialist on Thursday, but the preliminary indication is that a small portion of his lung collapsed. He will be sidelined indefinitely, Mumaw said.
The Titans, who play their next 10 games on the road, will face Gonzaga Friday and Loyola Marymount Sunday in a tournament at Loyola Marymount.
UC Irvine also has opened the men’s season with a 4-0 mark.
TOP CHOICE
Fullerton-based Coast Soccer League, the largest youth soccer league in Southern California, is conducting the first three weekends of its Premier Division schedule at UC Irvine. Premier features the Southland’s top teams for 16- to 19-year-old boys and girls. College and Olympic Development scouts are regular visitors.
In 1999, Premier’s first three weekends were held in San Bernardino, but CSL cut a deal with Irvine about three weeks ago.
“UCI is, and has been, an integral part of our community,” Premier President Gary Sparks said in an e-mail. “The CSL Premier League appreciates the opportunity to stay close to home, showcase our players and promote UCI soccer as well.”
The first weekend seemed to go without a hitch, although some grumbles were heard about the $4 daily parking charge. Paul Hope, Irvine’s assistant athletic director for facilities, also acknowledged that the fields are showing additional wear and tear, but said it was important for Irvine to expose top players to its campus.
Premier intends to complete its season at the Oaks Polo Fields in San Juan Capistrano, where recent restrictions on soccer use imposed by operators are not expected to affect CSL’s plans, according to Sparks.
NOTEWORTHY
Hope International (3-2) is off to its best start in women’s soccer in school history. . . . Cal State Fullerton has added two part-time assistant coaches for track. Mike Powell, who holds the world record in the long jump, will help coach the jumping events while studying for his master’s degree in kinesiology and sports psychology. Bill Caton, formerly of Spokane Valley College in Washington, will help coach the throwing events. . . . UC Irvine women’s water polo Coach Julie Swail, captain of the United States women’s Olympic team, had this to say about the first week of double-day practices in Sydney: “The girls are all pretty laid back right now. It hasn’t really hit us yet that we’re here and we’re really in the Olympics, but we’re still very focused on what we have to do.”. . . The Cal State Fullerton women’s volleyball team lost all four matches in the Fresno State tournament last weekend, but Megan Sabo, a junior from Mater Dei, had 48 kills to move up to fifth on the school’s career list with 752. . . . Irvine’s come-from-behind win over Northwestern in women’s volleyball drew 337 spectators, the largest crowd for a season opener in Anteater history. Irvine (3-1) plays at Cal State Northridge tonight.
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Staff writer Lon Eubanks contributed to this story.
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