‘Eaters recruit star

sports briefs for Tuesday editionLiege Vieira, who in 2003 was No. 3 in Brazil’s girls 18s junior tennis rankings, has signed a national letter of intent to compete for the UC Irvine women’s tennis team, Anteaters Coach Mike Edles announced Monday.

Vieira, from Rio de Janiero, will join the UCI team as a freshman in the fall of 2006.

“The addition of Liege will have an immediate impact on our program,” Edles said in a press release. “Liege is a strong lefty baseline player and has won numerous national titles in Brazil.”

Mesa, Sage ranked

The CIF Southern Section preseason girls soccer rankings released Monday include Costa Mesa High and Sage Hill School.

Sage Hill, which advanced to the CIF Division VI semifinals last season and finished 21-2-1, is ranked No. 4 in Division VI.

Costa Mesa, which was upset, 1-0, in four overtimes by Arroyo Grande in last year’s CIF Division III quarterfinals to finish 19-3, is ranked No. 4 in Division III.

Arrowhead Christian, which ended Sage’s season last year, sits atop the Division VI poll, followed by Bishop Union and St. Margaret’s. Sunny Hills is No. I in Division III.

No other Newport-Mesa girls or boys teams are ranked.

UC Irvine toy drive

Anyone who brings a new, unwrapped toy or gift card worth at least $10 to the UC Irvine men’s basketball game against San Jose State Saturday, or the women’s game against Southeastern Louisiana on Dec. 17 at the Bren Events Center, will receive a free general admission ticket to the game.

Both games begin at 7 p.m.

The toy drive will benefit Beta Foster Care.

Vazquez among elite

UC Irvine senior Amanda Vazquez completed her women’s volleyball career with 337 block assists to rank No. 2 in school career annals.

The middle blocker also wound up seventh in career solo blocks (60), and 10th in kills (925).

Senior libero Keegan Featherstone finished with 1,046 career digs to rank sixth in the school record books.

Sophomore setter Christa Conom now has 1,294 career assists, which ranks seventh in Anteater history.

UCI finished 10-20 this season.