Anteaters to Defend Volleyball Tournament Title

The UC Irvine women’s volleyball team opens its season Friday by trying to defend its championship at the Anteater Invitational tournament at Crawford Hall.

The Anteaters, 15-13 last season, meet Wichita State at 7 p.m. in the first round of the four-team, round-robin tournament. They play Oregon at noon Saturday and Loyola Marymount at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Anteaters return three starters from last year’s team--sophomore outside hitter Popi Edwards, senior setter Vesna Sepic and senior outside hitter Alison Bantel.

Loyola Marymount, coached by former Woodbridge Coach Steve Stratos, features five former high school players from the county--outside hitters Deanna Doolittle (Woodbridge), Kathleen Bunce (Capistrano Valley Christian), and Amy Moeller (Mater Dei); and middle blockers Tahlia Wagner (Corona del Mar) and Julie Greer (Esperanza).

Oregon’s lineup features middle blocker Karissa Meith, a former all-county player from Irvine, and middle blocker Anne Swayne, who played on Laguna Beach’s 1991 Southern Section championship team.

Wichita State’s roster includes sophomore setter Kori Rosenkranz, a former Sunny Hills High standout.

The tournament schedule: (All matches at Crawford Hall) Friday--Oregon vs. Loyola Marymount, 5 p.m.; Wichita State vs. UC Irvine, 7 p.m. Saturday--Loyola Marymount vs. Wichita State, 10 a.m.; Oregon vs. UC Irvine, noon; Oregon vs. Wichita State, 5 p.m.; UC Irvine vs. Loyola Marymount, 7 p.m.

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The Southern California College women’s soccer team will play its second game of its inaugural season Wednesday at The Master’s College in Newhall.

The Vanguards, under Coach Scott Dameron, lost their opener to UC Santa Cruz, 9-0, Saturday. SCC suited up only 10 players and, because of an injury, played part of the game with nine.

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The Chapman men’s soccer team will open its season Friday at Utah and Sunday plays at Colorado College. The SCC men open Saturday night at UC Santa Barbara.

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The Chapman women’s volleyball team open Wednesday night at Cal State Los Angeles, ranked No. 4 in the NCAA Division II.

SCC’s women’s volleyball team plays Cal State San Bernardino Wednesday in San Bernardino.

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The Concordia University women’s volleyball team Friday plays host to the Labor Day Volleyball Festival at Concordia and Woodbridge High.

The two-day tournament, which begins at 9 a.m. both days, features 16 teams, including Cal Baptist, ranked No. 3 in the NAIA preseason poll, and Cal State Los Angeles, ranked No. 4 in Division II. Cal Poly Pomona returns to defend its tournament title.

Southern California College will also compete.