Pirates upended by GWC in four

Adam Sorenson recorded a match-best 20 kills to lead visiting Golden

West College to a 36-34, 21-30, 30-26, 30-23 win over host Orange

Coast Wednesday in the Orange Empire Conference opener for both

teams.

The Pirates tasted defeat in conference play for the first time

since March 21, 2001, and fell to a team in the OEC for the first

time since a four-game defeat to the Rustlers back on April 14, 2000.

The Pirates ran the table last season before falling in the state

championship game to LA Pierce, as well as suffering their only loss

of the 2001 season.

After splitting the first two games, the Pirates were never in it.

They were able to cut an 18-10 deficit to two on several occasions in

the final game, but Sorenson recorded his final three kills of the

match and threw in a block to seal the victory.

Kyle Martin led OCC with 15 kills.

Orange Coast fell to 9-2, 6-1 in the OEC.

Sailors lead Diablos

GOLF: The Newport Harbor High boys golf team took a 194-198 lead

after nine holes of an 18-hole match with Mission Viejo Wednesday.

Sailors junior Michael Benvenutti (37) shared the low round with

two Mission Viejo competitors at the Santa Ana Country Club.

Other Newport Harbor scorers were Brandon Sowers (38), Rhett

Palmer (38), Davis Pemstein (40) and Garrett Whitfield (41).

Elsewhere ...

UC Irvine’s women’s golf team finished seventh at the Spartan

Invitational in Salinas. Freshman Angela Won finished third with a

2-under 71-72-72 -- 214. ...UC Irvine’s women’s tennis team swept

visiting Cal State Fullerton in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation

play. Tiffany Chang, Jenny Bowman, Christie Posner, Amy Tranckino,

Hui Leow and Kristina Boss all rolled for the Anteaters (6-6, 3-1)

... Orange Coast College’s Jake Allanach and David Kendall shot par

72, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 364-372 Orange Empire

Conference men’s golf loss to host Palomar at Twin Lakes Golf Course

in Mira Costa Wednesday. Kelly Wicks (74), Jared Bruce (76) and Brad

Champion (79) also scored for the Pirates (4-3, 1-3 in conference)

... The Costa Mesa High boys volleyball team nearly rallied for a

win, but ended up being swept by visiting Calvary Chapel (Santa Ana),

which won, 15-6, 15-4, 17-15, in the season opener for both teams.

Mesa freshman Ryan Bagwell had three kills, while freshman Tony

Krikorian collected 10 digs ... Vanguard University’s men’s and

women’s tennis teams lost at Cal Poly Pomona. The men fell, 7-2, to

fall to 4-3 ... The women fell, 5-4, to fall to 4-2 ... UC Irvine’s

men’s volleyball team swept host UC San Diego to improve to 15-5

overall.