OCC women’s water polo: Pirates show strong against four-year

schools

There’s good news and bad news for teams hoping to knock off the

Orange Coast College women’s water polo team, the No. 2-ranked squad in

the state.

The Pirates lost twice Friday, showing they can be beaten. However,

those losses came to a pair of four-year schools. With an 8-7 loss to UC

Irvine and a 16-9 defeat to Loyola Marymount, Coast is now 23-5-1 this

season. The only other losses are against Golden West, the No. 1 team in

the state.

OCC’s first game Friday was against UCI, and the Pirates jumped out to

a 4-0 first-quarter lead. After leading, 5-2, at halftime, OCC Coach Mike

Giles decided to rest his starters to give his backups an opportunity to

play against a four-year team. The Pirates were outscored, 6-2, the rest

of the way and lost, 8-7.

“Honestly, we could have beaten them,” Giles said. “But I’m pleased.

We played very well.”

Devon Wright scored three goals for the Pirates, while Kristina

Miloslavic, Christine McDonald, Deanna Espinosa and Daylene Coberly each

had one goal for OCC. Goalie Erin Kennedy finished with four saves.

Against Loyola Marymount, a Division I Top-10 team last season, the

Pirates fell behind, 8-3, at halftime and couldn’t regain the lead.

Wright scored three goals again and Kathy Klarich finished with two.

Miloslavic, Heather Pappas, Coberly and Ellen Dolan each had one goal.

Kennedy had five saves.