College Roundup: UCI captures Big West title

WOMEN’S WATER POLO

UC Irvine 11, Cal State Northridge 4

LONG BEACH — The top-seeded Anteaters earned their fifth Big West Conference tournament title by thumping the Matadors in the final on Sunday at Long Beach State.

Hannah Groghan led the winners (24-7) with four goals to capture tournament MVP honors and senior Jessy Cardey scored twice to move atop the school’s all-time scoring list with 218 goals. Cardey’s total is one more than Robyn Kaake, who completed her career in 2007.

UCI earned a berth in the 10-team NCAA Tournament. Coach Dan Klatt’s squad is the No. 6 seed and will play host USC on May 9 in the first round.

Danielle Ward added three goals and Jillian Yocum made 11 saves for UCI, which outscored the 23-9 Matadors, 5-0, in the second half.

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MEN’S GOLF

Big West Championship

SAN JACINTO — UC Irvine senior Ryan Knapp, an Estancia High product, finished tied for fifth, and the Anteaters were fifth as a team in the wind-shortened event at which the final 18-hole round was canceled Tuesday at the Country Club at Soboba Springs.

Winds up to 40 mph made conditions unplayable, halting the event after 36 holes.

Knapp tied for top individual honors on Monday, when he shot three-under-par 69. His 36-hole total was 142 to post his best career finish at UCI.

UCI sophomore Jacob Schulze and freshman Ryan O’Connor both shot one-under 71 on Monday and tied for 17th place overall at 148.

UCI’s team total of 588 was 10 shots behind victorious Cal State Fullerton.

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WOMEN’S TENNIS

Long Beach State 4, UC Irvine 2

INDIAN WELLS — Brooke Schweyer earned the lone singles victory for the No. 2-seeded Anteaters in the Big West Conference tournament final on Sunday at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

UCI (17-7) won the doubles point, thanks to triumphs by the No. 2 tandem of Sarah Gong and Schweyer, as well as the No. 3 duo of Kat Facey and Sarah Stadfelt.

Franziska Goettsching was ahead, 6-3, 4-6, 5-2 when the team match was ended due to an insurmountable lead by the top-seeded 49ers (20-2).

Schweyer won, 7-5, 6-1 at No. six singles.