Community college women’s water polo: Pirates begin with 18-7 win

MERCED - The Orange Coast College women’s water polo team began its

quest for the state title with an 18-7 first-round victory over Foothill

in the Community College State Championship Tournament at Merced College

Thursday.

The Pirates (34-1), the No. 1 seed from Southern California, had

little trouble taking control early, jumping out to a 9-2 halftime lead.

Tia Montalvo and Erica Nicholson each scored four goals for the

Pirates, while Neisha Hoagland added three goals and Amy Contreras

tallied two. Christine McDonald, Devon Wright, Ellen Dolan, Shari Meyer

and Nicole Sonnenfeld scored one goal each for the winners, who move on

to today’s (4:45 p.m.) semifinal against host Merced, which won 8-6 over

Mt. San Antonio. Foothill dropped to 30-5 and shifted to the consolation

bracket.

OCC goalie Heather Deyden, a Newport Harbor High product, stopped six

shots to anchor the defense.

Coast defeated Merced, 16-8, Sept. 23, in the semifinals of the Diablo

Valley Tournament, building a 7-2 halftime lead in a game it never

trailed in.

WOMEN’S WATER POLO STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

Orange Coast 18, Foothill 7

Foothill 1 1 2 3 - 7

Orange Coast 5 4 7 2 - 18

Foothill - Parker 3, Meisenbach 2, Euchner 1, Alexander 1. Saves -

Mattels 2.

Orange Coast - Montalvo 4, Nicholson 4, Hoagland 3, Contreras 2,

McDonald 1, Wright 1, Dolan 1, Meyer 1, Sonnenfeld 1. Saves - Deyden 6,

Miloslavic 2.