Laguna Beach girls’ water polo trio commits

The Laguna Beach High girls’ water polo team now has enough college commits to field a full starting lineup.

Senior attackers Sophia Lucas and Kyla Whitelock recently committed to USC and Fresno State, respectively, and senior defender Danielle Borelli has committed to McKendree University in Lebanon, Ill.

That brings the Breakers’ total of senior commits to seven, as goalie Thea Walsh (Stanford), Evan Tingler (Harvard), Isabel Riches (Brown) and Alana Evans (Princeton) had already committed this summer for the defending CIF Southern Section Division 1 champions.

Lucas said those who are eligible plan to sign their national letter of intent on Nov. 8, when the early signing period for women’s water polo begins. Ivy League commits do not sign national letters of intent, but Breakers coach Ethan Damato said all seven girls would be recognized at the ceremony.

“It’s especially special because I’ve known these girls since I was 12 or 13,” Lucas said. “We’ve all grown up and been on the same teams. It’s so fun for all of us to be signing on the same day. It just means a lot.”

Lucas was a first-team Daily Pilot Dream Team selection last year, totaling 51 goals, 37 assists and 44 steals. She said the team at USC reminded her of her close relationship with her Laguna Beach teammates.

Whitelock, a speedy player on the counterattack, was the Breakers’ junior varsity captain each of the last two years. This will be her first year on varsity full-time.

The Breakers have won three of the last four Division 1 titles. The team lost a lot of talent, including Dream Team Player of the Year Aria Fischer (Stanford), to graduation. But the Breakers have had a strong offseason, winning the California High School State Championships tournament in July.

More recently, Laguna Beach won the Foothill Fall Fling tournament on Oct. 22, beating Dos Pueblos 9-2 in the championship game.

“I think we’re definitely going to compete,” Lucas said. “We’re not going to drop down. There’s no way. I think we all care about each other too much to not battle every single game.”

Newport Beach’s Hill wins Trinity League title

Mater Dei High sophomore Natasha Hill, a Newport Beach resident, won the Trinity League girls’ tennis doubles title last week with partner Katie Hernandez.

It was the second straight league doubles title for Hill. She and Hernandez will compete at the CIF Southern Section Individuals tournament, which begins on Nov. 20.

Pachl captures inaugural ‘The Marguerite’

Laguna Beach’s Ella Pachl won the inaugural “The Marguerite” girls’ tennis tournament Saturday at the Marguerite Tennis Pavilion in Mission Viejo.

Pachl defeated West Covina’s Julianna Vich 6-0, 6-0 in the final. Sage Hill’s Michelle Hung placed third.

The Marguerite is a tennis tournament started by Dave Borelli and former Sage Hill head coach A.G. Longoria. It is meant as a girls’ alternative to the prestigious Ojai Tennis Tournament held for high school boys each spring.

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