Anteaters defend title

sports briefs from sundayUCI’s women’s golf team wins the Penn State Nittany Lion invitational Sunday.The UC Irvine women’s golf team won the Penn State Nittany Lion invitational Sunday at the Penn State White Course, with three Anteaters finishing in the top 10.

The Anteaters successfully defended their title with a 36-hole total of 600 (302-298), one stroke ahead of host Penn State, which finished in second at 601. UCI trailed the Nittany Lions by one stroke after the first day and shot the low round of the tournament on the final 18 to capture the title.

This was UC Irvine’s seventh tournament title and second in as many years at State College.

Penn State’s Maggie Lester won medalist honors shooting a 144 (74-70). Lester, who shot a 70 on the final 18 holes -- the low round of the tournament -- finished two shots ahead of UCI’s Selanee Henderson, the 2004 medalist, who carded a 146 (73-73).

It was Henderson’s best finish of the season and her seventh career top 10 finish. The sophomore led the tournament field with six birdies.

Senior Angela Won tied for fourth after shooting a 148 (73-75) and senior Carling Cho tied for eighth with a score of 150 (77-73). Sophomore Kim Lorenzana finished in a tie for 30th with a score of 158 (79-79) and senior Reana Yun was tied for 34th with a total of 159 (82-77).

Local sailors dominate

* SAILING: Sailors representing Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar high schools captured the top three places in the Gold Division of the Sea Otter Regatta, completed Sunday off Monterey, Calif.

Two boats representing each school alternated to score equally in 12 races, covering varying distances based on wind conditions over two days of competition.

The Gold Division is comprised of the 24 programs considered the strongest in the state. There was also a 20-school Silver Division.

Newport Harbor won the Golden Division title. It’s two winning boats included one skippered by Michael Menninger, with Brooke Thomson as crew. The other had Cole Hatton skipper and Kayla McComb crew.

CdM finished second in the Gold Division. Its two boats included Peter Stemler (skipper) and Peter Tucci (crew), as well as another with alternating skippers Reid Vitarelli and Andrew Mason, with Hadley Rokicki acting as crew.

Newport Harbor junior varsity sailors secured third place. The two boats to achieve that feat included Matt Hogan (skipper) and Blair Belling (crew), as well as alternating skippers Chris Barnard and Charlie Buckingham, with crew Christy Patchell.

Sage Hill finished sixth in the gold division, behind Calvary Chapel and Marin Catholic.

Housseini is edged

* SURFING: Newport Beach resident Erica Housseini finished third in the consolation final of the International Surfing Association world junior championships Sunday on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier.

Housseini finished with 9.3 points and was topped by Karina Petroni (first, 10.16) and Carissa Moore (second, 9.73) in the event, which concluded Sunday.

In earlier competition, Housseini was bumped to the consolation bracket with a third-place finish in her heat in the sixth round.

‘Eaters finish seventh

* WATER POLO: The UC Irvine men’s water polo team finished seventh in the Northern California tournament that concluded Sunday at Berkeley.

Senior Dreason Barry scored three goals and junior Tim Hutten added two as the sixth-ranked Anteaters topped No. 8 Long Beach State, 10-9, in the seventh-place game Sunday afternoon.

Back-to-back goals by Hutten and Curt Merlo in the third quarter gave UCI a 10-8 lead and the Anteaters held off the 49ers to improve to 9-8 on the season.

Senior goalie Joe Wynne had nine saves for UCI.

Reid Tomassi and Erik Geoffroy led Long Beach State with three goals apiece.