COLLEGE ROUNDUP

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Orange Coast 67,

Saddleback 54

COSTA MESA — Sophomore Casey Gomez had 19 points, five assists and three steals to lead the Pirates to the Orange Empire Conference home win Wednesday.

OCC, ranked No. 13 in Southern California and No. 15 in the state, rallied from a 34-26 halftime deficit to improve to 15-6, 2-0 in conference.

It was win No. 600 in the combined coaching career of OCC head man Mike Thornton, who has posted 453 wins at OCC and 147 at Marina High.

Sophomore Simone Ibbotson had 15 points and six rebounds, while freshman Chelsea Alfafara added 13 points for the winners.

Orange Empire Conference

Orange Coast 67, Saddleback 54

Sad – J Cox 27, Kaleopa 10, Sundin 6, Patterson 5, Moore 4, Rodriguez 2.

3-pt. goals – Cox 3, Patterson 1.

OCC – Ibbotson 15, Harrell 3, Lujan 9, Gomez 19, Simmons 1, Alfafara 13, Murray 3, Anderson 2, Mahi 2.

3-pt. goals – Alfagara 4, Gomez 1.

Halftime – Sad, 34-26.

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

UC Irvine def.

UC Santa Barbara

GOLETA — Freshman Carson Clark pounded 24 kills to pace the visiting Anteaters to a 30-23, 30-25, 26-30, 30-17 win in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opener Wednesday at UCSB.

Clark hit .625 to help No. 5-ranked UCI (4-1, 1-0 in conference) hit .404 as a team.

Corona del Mar High product Scott Slaughter, a sophomore middle blocker, had 13 kills and hit .545 for the No. 9-ranked Gauchos (2-2, 0-1).

UCI plays host to No. 2-ranked Cal State Northridge Friday at 7 at the Bren Events Center.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Saddleback 68,

Orange Coat 65

COSTA MESA — The host Pirates led the No. 4-ranked team in the state, 62-60, with 1:10 left, but couldn’t hold on in the Orange Empire Conference clash Wednesday.

Freshman Chris Curtis was six of seven from the field, including four of four from three-point range, to produce 19 points for the Pirates (8-13, 1-1). Curtis added a team-high seven rebounds.

Saddleback, ranked No. 3 in Southern California, is now 17-5, 2-0.

Orange Empire Conference

Saddleback 68, Orange Coast 65

Sad – Menner 28, Woods 11, Azizi 6, Jackson 6, Mack 6, Session 5, Wallace 2, Lipold 2, Green 2.

3-pt. goals – Woods 1.

Fouled out – Session.

OCC– Curtis 19, Whitmore 15, Williams 10, Hairston 8, Floyd 8, Delaney 3, Saldivar 2.

3-pt. goals – Curtis 4, Hairston 2, Delaney 1, Whitmore 1, Floyd 1.

Fouled out – Curtis.

Halftime – 26-26.