Locals head to Italy

Incoming Newport Harbor High senior Clay Jorth and former Corona del

Mar standout Thomas Pearson are among the 13 players chosen to the

United States junior national men’s water polo team that begins

competition in Cosenza, Italy, Thursday.

The U.S. opens the International Six Nationals Water Polo

Tournament against Italy, and will also face Greece, Spain and

Slovakia in the tournament, hosted by the Italian Swimming

Federation, that runs through Sept. 4. Dan Klatt, a 2004 Olympian and

former All-American at UC Irvine who now coaches the women’s water

polo team at his alma mater, is the U.S.’s team leader for head coach

Doug Peabody.

Jorth and Pearson, the latter now at Cal, both earned first-team

All-CIF Southern Section Division I honors last fall.

UCI begins with win

* SOCCER: The UC Irvine women’s soccer team defeated nonconference

host San Jose State, 2-1, Friday night in the season opener. The

Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute, but junior Britney

Webster and freshman Alex Fries responded with goals for UCI (1-0).

Webster tied the game in the 31st minute, while Fries’ game-winner

came 15 seconds into the second half.

Anteaters are swept

* VOLLEYBALL: The UC Irvine women’s volleyball team fell in its

season opener to visiting University of San Diego, 30-28, 30-23,

30-12, in a nonconference match Friday at Crawford Court.

Kristin Kelley slammed a team-high nine kills while Amanda Vazquez

added seven for the ‘Eaters (0-1), but the double-digit kill totals

from Moira McCarthy (11) and Kristen Carlson (13) of USD (1-0) proved

too much.

Lions fall in opener

* SOCCER: Cal State Los Angeles outshot visiting Vanguard, 23-9,

and sent the Lions to a 2-0 nonconference women’s soccer loss in the

season opener for both teams Thursday.

Cal State L.A.’s Christine Duff scored in the 15th minute while

Amber De Seriere added the second goal in the second half. Vanguard

junior Marissa Welliver made a game-high five saves.

Vanguard hosts Bethany at 7 p.m. today.