Anteaters lock up tourney berth

IRVINE ? The UC Irvine women’s water polo team clinched the No. 6 seed in next week’s Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament with a 12-8 victory over Cal State Northridge in the team’s regular season home finale Saturday.

Robyn Kaake scored five goals, tying a career-best, to lead UCI (17-12, 6-6 in conference). Kaake tallied two of her goal in the third period as the Anteaters pulled away.

UCI’s six conference victories are the best in school history, as was its sixth-place finish. The Anteaters will meet UC Santa Barbara in the first round of the MPSF tournament at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at home.