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Briefs: Gilchrist helps Team USA top Singapore

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Newport Harbor High and USC alumna Kaleigh Gilchrist scored four goals as the United States women’s national water polo team blasted Singapore, 24-0, on Friday in the quarterfinals of the FINA World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

Gilchrist was second in scoring for Team USA. Kami Craig scored five goals for the Americans, who led, 15-0, at halftime.

Team USA will play China in the semifinals at 5 a.m. Pacific time Saturday. A live webcast is scheduled to be offered through FINA TV.

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— From staff reports

UCI picked second

UC Irvine has been picked to finish second in the Big West Conference women’s soccer coaches preseason poll.

The Anteaters finished second in the conference last season behind Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, which tops this year’s poll with six of nine first-place votes.

UCI, 6-2 in conference in 2013, received two first-place votes, while Cal State Fullerton garnered one.

UCI seniors Laura McGrail and Cami Privett were named to the preseason all-conference team.

It’s the third straight honor for Privett, the first for McGrail.

McGrail, a forward, earned first-team all-conference laurels in 2013 after leading the Anteaters with seven goals and 17 points.

Privett, a midfielder, had two goals and two assists last season. She was the Big West Freshman of the Year and a second-team all-conference performer in 2011.

UCI opens its season Aug. 22 at No. 10-ranked 10 Santa Clara.

— From staff reports

Ned makes return

Former UC Irvine women’s basketball standout Angie Ned has returned to the program as director of operations.

Ned comes to UCI after serving as a women’s basketball assistant coach last season at Cal Baptist, at which the Lancers reached the PacWest Conference Tournament championship game.

She was assistant varsity girls’ basketball coach at her alma mater, Perris High, for three years before joining the collegiate ranks. While coaching at Perris, the Panthers were second in the Sunbelt League and qualified for the CIF playoffs all three years. Three of her players went on to receive basketball scholarships.

“Angie will be a tremendous addition to our staff,” UCI Coach Doug Oliver said. “Her knowledge of the game and work ethic will be invaluable.”

Ned holds the UCI record for career field goals attempted (1,329) and is tied for fifth in career scoring (1,333), third in three-pointers attempted (389) and sixth in field goals made (485), free-throw percentage (.755) and three pointers made (113). She set a new UCI season record with 479 field goals attempted in 2006-07.

She was a three-time All-Big West Conference selection, earning first-team distinction as a junior. She was the first player to be honored as the Big West Defensive Player of the Year twice. She scored a career-high 37 points in a win over Loyola Marymount in 2007, the most points by a Big West player that year. She was named Big West Player of the Week twice over her four-year career.

Ned graduated with a degree in sociology in 2007.

She played professionally with CBV Binnenland (Holland) of the Dutch Premier League. She averaged 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 2.0 assists per game in an injury-shortened season before continuing her pro career in Portugal. With GD ESSA, Ned was the team’s second-leading scorer (19.2 per game) and also averaged 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.8 assists.

— From staff reports

‘Eaters tabbed fifth

UC Irvine has been picked to finish fifth in the Big West Conference women’s volleyball coaches preseason poll.

Coach Paula Weishoff’s Anteaters return 13 players, including Big West All-Freshman Team honorees Cassidy Pickrell and Shelley Anderson from a squad that finished 14-16, 5-11 in conference, good for sixth place among nine teams.

UCI totaled 42 points in the poll.

Hawaii, which shared the conference title with Cal State Northridge and UC Santa Barbara last season, topped this year’s poll with 77 points. Hawaii had five first-place votes, followed by UCSB with two. Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge each received one first-place vote.

Long Beach State (68), UCSB (63) and Cal State Northridge (60) rounded out the top four, with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (34), UC Davis (25), Cal State Fullerton (24) and UC Riverside (12) picked to finish below the Anteaters.

UCI plays its alumni match Aug. 24 before opening the regular season in the Queen City Classic at Cincinnati on Aug. 29-30.

UCI faces Xavier Aug. 29 before taking on the host Bearcats and Duquesne Aug. 30.

The Anteaters host the UCI Tournament Sept. 5-6 at Crawford Court, facing Idaho and Pepperdine Sept. 5, and Utah State Sept. 6.

After hosting Army Sept. 7, UCI has seven consecutive matches away from home before opening Big West action against Long Beach State Sept. 26 at the Bren Events Center.

— From staff reports

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