Breakers fall in games to Sea Kings

Mike Sciacca

Their stay at the top of the Pacific Coast League standings was

brief, but the Laguna Beach High girls’ tennis team didn’t go without

a furious fight.

On the verge of getting their initial win this season against

rival Corona del Mar, the Breakers saw that victory snatched away

Tuesday by the host Sea Kings, who won on games, 70-68.

The win dropped Laguna Beach one game back of seventh-ranked

Corona del Mar and sixth-ranked University, who share the league lead

at 5-1.

The Breakers, ranked eighth in the CIF Division I poll, are 10-4

overall.

Freshman Claire Rietsch swept for Laguna Beach in singles play and

fellow freshman Lorren Butterwick won two of three games.

Laguna Beach moved into a three-way tie for the Pacific Coast

League lead with a 12-6 win over previously undefeated University

last Thursday.

Rietsch and Butterwick swept their singles matches and the No. 2

doubles team of CorreyMiller and Katie Ochwat earned a three-game

sweep, to lead coach Brian Ricker’s Breakers.

Laguna stepped out of league play to post a 12-7 nonleague win

over visiting Edison.

Rietsch and Butterwick began a week of undefeated singles play by

sweeping their Charger opponents.

In a hotly-contested, nonleague boys’ water polo match played on

Oct. 17, Newport Harbor outlasted host Laguna Beach, 11-10.

The Sailors are ranked fourth in CIF Division I while the Breakers

are rated seventh.

One day before taking on the Sailors, Laguna battled Corona del

Mar in a key Pacific Coast League match and was handed a 14-7 defeat.

Tristan Abel led Laguna with three goals and Nima Mortazavi

finished with two.

In girls’ volleyball, Laguna Beach is still searching for its

first Pacific Coast League victory.

On Monday night, the Breakers were handed a 15-13, 15-4, 15-8 home

loss by University. Last Thursday, the Breakers suffered a three-game

loss to Tesoro.

They were 0-5 in league matches heading into Wednesday night’s

game at Corona del Mar.