Briefs: Gaytan-Leach wins

Former Corona del Mar High standout Cierra Gaytan-Leach, now at the University of Texas, won in doubles over the weekend at the Intercollegiate Tennis Assn. summer circuit tournament at The Tennis Club Newport Beach.

Gaytan-Leach, who will be a sophomore at Texas, was partnered with Mary Ann McFarlane of the University of Alabama. They defeated the Stanford duo of Sarah Tan and Amelia Herring, 8-3, in the final.

Other locals included UC Irvine’s Ryan Cheung, who fell in the men’s final to Chasen Melton of Cal, 6-1, 6-2.

Rio Kitagawa from Japan defeated McFarlane, 6-1, 6-3, in the women’s final. Kitagawa had upset recent CdM graduate Lynda Xepoleas in the semifinals. Xepoleas, bound for Purdue, was the top seed.

Former Sage Hill standout Julia Blakeley and CdM alumna Melissa Matsuoka both made the women’s round of 16. Blakeley now plays for George Washington University, and Matsuoka for Dartmouth.

Sage Hill incoming senior Robbe Simon, who helped the Lightning win the CIF Southern Section Division III title this spring, got to the men’s doubles semifinals with partner Paul Richmond.

Sixty men and 50 women competed in the first summer tournament of the Western ITA Circuit, which had Sage Hill Coach A.G. Longoria as tournament director. There are three more events scheduled for Southern California, every weekend in July.

The circult moves to the West End Racquet Club of Torrance for next weekend’s tournament.

— Matt Szabo

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Trio to head abroad

Newport Harbor High incoming junior Dan Stevens, a member of the USA Water Polo Youth National Team, has been selected to represent the United States in the 2011 UANA Pan American Water Polo Youth (17U) Championships. The tournament will be held Aug. 3 through 14, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Newport Harbor incoming senior Maddy McLaren has also been selected to the USA Water Polo Youth National Travel Team. She will train with the team in Hungary, July 16-27, along with CdM incoming junior Cassidy Papa.

Carlee Kapana, a member of the USA Water Polo Cadet National Team, also has been selected to the travel team for the 2011 UANA Pan American Water Polo Youth Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Kapana, a goalie, is entering Newport Harbor as a freshman this fall.

— From staff reports

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Trio on U.S. roster

Former UC Irvine standout water polo players Ryan Bailey, Jeff Powers and Tim Hutten are among 13 players who have been named to the U.S. men’s national team for the upcoming FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China.

The three players were also on Team USA last week in the FINA World League Super Final. The Americans finished fourth.

Powers, Bailey and Hutten were also on the 2009 World Championships team that also finished fourth.

At this year’s World Championships, the United States is in a four-team group with Italy, Germany and South Africa. Team USA, coached by Terry Schroeder, begins its tournament July 18 against Germany, at 3:20 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.

The United States, which won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has never medaled at the FINA World Championships.

— From staff reports