College Roundup: ‘Eaters secure top spot

IRVINE — Sophomore Danielle Warde had four goals and junior Layne Kipp added three to help the No. 6-ranked Anteaters clinch at least a share of the Big West Conference regular-season women’s water polo championship with a 14-2 win over Pacific on Sunday at UCI.

UCI (21-5, 4-0 in conference) has one regular-season conference match remaining, Thursday at home against Long Beach State. At worst, the Anteaters would have one conference loss and they hold the tiebreaker advantage over both UC Santa Barbara (2-1 in conference) and UC Davis (2-1), having beaten both in conference play.

A win Thursday would give UCI its second straight 5-0 regular-season conference record. The Anteaters also tied for first in 2009, the inaugural year of Big West women’s water polo.

UCI has won the first three conference tournaments and now will be the No. 1 seed for this year’s event, April 27-29 at UC Davis.

The winner of the conference tournament earns an automatic berth in the eight-team NCAA championships, May 11-13 in San Diego.

Jessy Cardey and Katie Croghan had two goals apiece and Kate Avetoom had eight saves for the Anteaters.

Pacific fell to 9-15, 0-3.

MEN’S GOLF

Orange Empire Conference tournament

CHINO HILLS — Chris Cochran shot par-72 to finish fourth overall as Orange Coast College defeated six of seven foes on Monday at El Prado Golf Course.

Mike Squillace (74), Kyle Frame (76) and Marcus Mercado-Kiel (77) also stood out for the Pirates (43-6 in conference play).

SWIMMING

Pasadena Invitational

PASADENA — Orange Coast College’s Mackenzie Bailie won three individual events and contributed to at least one relay triumph to help the Pirates claim the women’s team title in the meet completed Saturday.

The OCC men also won the team crown.

Bailie won the 100-yard individual medley (1 minute, 0-77 seconds), the 50 butterfly (26.66) and the 100 fly (1:00.1). She was on the winning 200 free relay and contributed to runner-up finishes in the 400 medley relay and the 200 medley relay.

Madison Seaberry won the women’s 1,650 free in 18:48.51.

Ashkaun Hami won the men’s 100 fly in a meet-record 50.93, while OCC teammate Michael Kim won the 400 individual medley in 4:11.78.

OCC’s Avelino Enriquez won the men’s 100 backstroke in 52.73.

TRACK AND FIELD

Orange Coast Classic

COSTA MESA — The host Pirates won the men’s and women’s team titles in the meet concluded Friday.

Patrick Douglass set a school record by winning the 1,500 meters in 3 minutes, 51.18 seconds.

Austin Little won the 3,000 in 8:43.44, while OCC teammates Zack Ellis and Jace Hinesly finished one-two in the 3,000 steeplechase in 9:36.65 and 9:52.93, respectively.

OCC’s Meghan Foley won the women’s 1,500 in 4:39.58.

Other women’s winners from OCC were Geneva Alvarez (400 hurdles in 1:04.95) and Grace Adams-Handy (3,000 steeplechase in 11:20.69).

MEN’S TENNIS

Concordia 5, Vanguard 4

COSTA MESA — Four singles victories were not enough for the host Lions in the Golden State Athletic Conference match Monday at the Costa Mesa Tennis Center.

The No. 7-ranked Lions fell to 10-9, 4-5 in conference, while the No. 10-ranked Eagles are 8-9, 6-5.

Roger Muri posted a 6-2, 6-0 victory at No. 2 singles to provide the highlight for Vanguard.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Concordia 8, Vanguard 1

COSTA MESA — Gabriela Bergmanova won at No. 1 singles for the host Lions’ lone highlight in the Golden State Athletic Conference match Monday at the Costa Mesa Tennis Center.

No. 15-ranked Vanguard fell to 8-10, 7-4.

No. 8-ranked Concordia is 10-6, 7-5.