Girls basketball: Eagles go cold against University

Tony Altobelli

IRVINE - The Estancia High girls basketball team picked the wrong

time to get cold.

The Eagles shot 26% (12 for 47) from the field and lost to host

University, 44-34, Thursday night.

The game not only cost the Eagles (15-10, 7-3 in league) the PCL

crown, but it dropped them to the league’s No. 3 playoff seed behind the

champion Trojans (15-10, 8-2) and Corona del Mar (13-13, 7-3).

“It’s not too often you get to play for a league title, so I’m

disappointed for the girls,” Estancia Coach Paul Kirby said. “It’s a

tough loss. We just didn’t execute and we missed way too many shots.”

Senior Lisa Hirata and freshman Trisha Wase led the Eagles with eight

points, while sophomore Tisha Gray added seven points and seven rebounds.

The Trojans took control of the game in the first quarter. Two

three-pointers by Shaadi Ariazand and baskets by Kirsten von Tungeln and

Daniele Janta capped a 10-0 Trojans run for a 12-2 advantage. Uni hit 7

of 11 from the field, including two three-pointers Ariazand’s two treys,

her only points of the game.

Von Tungeln scored seven of her 16 points in the opening eight minutes

as Uni led, 17-6.

The Eagles, meanwhile hit only 2 of 14 from the field, putting them in

a hole which they couldn’t shoot themselves out of.

the lead grew to as many as 16 before Gray hit the final three points

of the second quarter. Despite hitting only 4 field goals in 27 attempts,

the Eagles trailed by only 13 at the half.

“They were sitting in a 2-3 zone and we had difficulty running our

offense through that zone,” Kirby said. “We just couldn’t get a break out

there.”

Fortunately for the Eagles, Uni wasn’t shooting the lights out either.

Marie Rodriguez (five points) and Wase each hit three-pointers and cut

the lead to 11 after three quarters.

Estancia cut the lead to nine with a 6-4 spurt, but the Eagles could

get no further.

The 6-foot-2 von Tungeln showed why she’s among the top rebounders in

Orange County with 14 boards.

Janda contributed to the Trojans’ offense with eight points and nine

rebounds.

It was the lowest offensive output for the Eagles, who now must

regroup in time for the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs.

“We’ve got to bounce back from this,” Kirby said. “It won’t be easy,

but this team has the heart to bounce back.”

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE GIRLS

University 44, Estancia 34

Score by Quarters

Estancia 6 7 10 11 - 34

University 17 9 8 10 - 44

Estancia - Hirata 8, Wase 8, Gray 7, Rodriguez 5, Byfield 4, Barrera

2.

3-pt. goals - Hirata 1, Rodriguez 1, Wase 1, Byfield 1.

Fouled out - Gray, Wase.

Technicals - none

University - von Tungeln 16, Janda 8, Ariazand 6, Sutter 5, Lee 4, Yeo

3, Pontell 2.

3-pt. goals - Ariazand 2.

Fouled out - Ariazand.

Technicals - none.