U.S. men’s water polo team stuns Italy

The sixth-ranked U.S. men’s water polo team stunned No. 2-ranked

Italy, 7-6, before a crowd of 1,500 in the Torneo di Napoli at the

Piscina Scandone in Naples Saturday.

The tournament, which features host Italy, Kazakhstan, Greece, and

Team USA -- all of whom are qualified for the Olympics -- started

Friday and runs through today.

Ryan Bailey, a UC Irvine product who also plays for the Newport

Water Polo Foundation, scored one goal, coming in the third quarter

to give the Americans a 4-2 lead.

The U.S. team went up 7-5 with 2:08 left and held on for the upset

win.

‘Eaters sweep Matadors

* SWIMMING: The UC Irvine men’s and women’s swimming and diving

teams each handily defeated Cal State Northridge in a Big West

Conference meet at the Anteater Aquatics Complex Saturday.

The UCI women defeated the Northridge, 182-101, while the Anteater

men took care of the Matadors, 189-80.

In the women’s meet, the ‘Eaters were victorious in 12 of the 16

events.

Junior Kim Do won the 100 backstroke (59.37) and the 50 freestyle

(25.03).

Sophomore diver Franny Brittle earned victories in the one-meter

(197.03) and the three-meter (203.78) diving competitions.

Sophomore Lara Bjargardottir won the 100 breaststroke (1:05.30)

and the 500 free (5:03.37).

On the men’s side, the Anteaters won all 16 events competed.

Freshman Roman Zarasua won the 1,000 free (9:57.77) and the 500

free (4:55.15).

Senior Phil Garcia recorded victories in the 50 free (21.57) and

the 100 free (47.78), while sophomore Anton Slobounov won the

one-meter (286.73) and the three-meter (289.87) diving competitions.

Lions cruise past LMU

* TENNIS: The Vanguard men’s tennis team opened the season

Saturday with a 6-0 victory against NCAA Division I Loyola Marymount

as five of the seven players in the VU lineup were playing their

first match on the collegiate level.

In doubles, VU’s Anders Hakansson and Lars Dahlberg won, 8-3, and

Thomas Troxler and Christoph Schramm won, 8-4.

In singles, Vanguard’s Dieter Weislmair, Hakansson, Calle Holmgren

and Philip Mardh won in straight sets, while Dahlberg rallied from a

3-1 deficit and won in a super tiebreaker.

At No. 6, Troxler was up 7-6, 2-1 when his match was suspended

because of rain.

The Lions, who finished last season ranked No. 9 in the NAIA, will

play UC Riverside Feb. 3.

Green’s effort not enough

* BASKETBALL: UC Irvine’s Kristen Green scored a career-high 22

points, dished out five assists, grabbed four rebounds, blocked a

shot and made one steal, but Long Beach State defeated the host

Anteaters, 57-51, in Big West Conference women’s basketball action

Saturday night at the Bren Center.

Long Beach State (7-9, 3-4 in the Big West) outscored the

Anteaters (2-13, 1-6) in the second half, 33-27, after it was tied at

halftime at 24.

Long Beach State’s Candice Wilson scored six unanswered points in

the final two minutes to help defeat UCI.

Green was 9 of 14 from the floor and 4 of 5 from three-point

range. Christina Callaway added 10 points and five rebounds, while

Ashley Biggins had a game-high nine rebounds.

Petra Glaser led Long Beach State with 13 points, going 4 of 6

from the field and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line. Wilson finished

with 11 points.

The charity stripe was a factor with Long Beach State sinking 13

of 16, while UCI made just 3 of 7, including two misses by Callaway

with the scored tied, 51-51, with 2:21 left in a game that featured

seven lead changes and six ties.

*--*

Long Beach State 57, UC Irvine 51

Big West Conference

Long Beach State -- Connors 6, Glaser 13, Mack 4, Wilson 11, Baker 5, Blevins 2, McCutcheon 8, Bull 8. 3-pt. goals -- None. UC Irvine -- Duda 9, Callaway 10, Biggins 2, Ferguson 6, Green 22, Ned 2. 3-pt. goals -- Green 4, Ferguson 2. Halftime -- 24-24.

*--*

CdM girls finish fourth

* WATER POLO: The Corona del Mar High girls junior varsity water

polo team finished fourth out of 18 teams Saturday in the San

Clemente tournament. Alyssa Jones and Madison Jackson led the Sea

Kings in the tournament with five goals each, while Kathryn Bilder

added five steals and four assists and goalie Whitney Caskey had 18

saves.