Colleges: Anteaters struggle, but it’s still early

Amara Aguilar

Some people say losing is just plain losing, no matter what the

circumstances.

But when a game is close, being defeated is just a little bit harder

to take. There are what ifs flying through players’ and coaches’ minds.

There is only one thing to do after losing a heartbreaker. Figure out

what went wrong and fix it.

That should be the aim of the UC Irvine women’s basketball team. The

Anteaters (1-5) suffered their third overtime loss of the season on

Saturday at the Bren Events Center.

Two players worked overtime in overtime during UCI’s nonconference

game against Idaho State.

But two players can’t carry a team and the Anteaters learned that the

hard way, falling to the Bengals, 84-76, in overtime.

While Cindy Oparah (28 points) and Jana Ciperova (14 points) picked up

the pace for the Anteaters, accounting for the team’s nine points in

overtime, others were not hitting the mark.

“It was kind of disappointing,” UCI Coach Mark Adams said. “Brandy

Hudson was 4 of 13 (in the game), that didn’t help us. Christina Callaway

was 6 of 14, that didn’t help us either. We have got to step up and make

those shots.”

On the whole, UCI made 33 of 78 field goal attempts. The team carried

a seven-point lead into the second half, but watched it slowly disappear

as Idaho State went on a 16-6 run to pull ahead.

Eventually the Anteaters tied the score to send the game into

overtime, but the Bengals dominated in extra time, going on a 17-9 run.

“Late in the game I thought we gave up some key offensive boards,”

Adams said. “We have to go strong to the basket. (Oparah) is the only one

that gets to the free-throw line, but that’s not good enough. The rest of

the team has got to get to the line. We have to be strong with the

basketball.”

Oparah made 6 of 8 free throw attempts, scoring all of the Anteaters

made free throws.

After Saturday’s game, Adams’ goals for UCI were clear. Make the

shots, get to the free-throw line and grab rebounds.

He has already figured out what went wrong on Saturday. Now the team

has to work at fixing it.

The season is young. There is still time for the Anteaters to get on

their feet. They just have to make it happen. They will have their chance

for redemption when they travel to Pocatello to face Idaho State (4-4)

Thursday.

UCI’s Brett Smith is the one that got away from the Arizona

Diamondbacks, according to a recent issue of Baseball America. Although

he was drafted by Arizona in the 21st round of the 2001 draft, the

right-handed pitcher/first baseman will debut with the Anteaters’

reinstated baseball program this season. Smith went 7-1 and had a 1.68 ERA during his senior year at Sonora High. The 6-foot-5 pitcher also

struck out 102 in 90 innings and batted .458.

UCLA men’s soccer goalkeeper Zach Wells, a Newport Harbor High

product, set a new UCLA single season saves record on Dec. 1 in a 1-0

loss to SMU in the NCAA Tournament. Wells made six saves, including one

on a penalty kick, to bring his total to 101. The previous record was 97.

It was set in 1990 by former USA Olympic, National and current English

Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

UCLA finished the season with a 12-7-4 record.

In his first year as the Bruins’ starting keeper, Wells was named

Pac-10 men’s soccer player of the week and to Soccer America’s Team of

the Week. Wells, a redshirt sophomore, was also recently selected to the

Pac-10 All-Conference second-team and the Pac-10 All-Academic

second-team.

Gordon College field hockey player Kerstin Manderson of Newport Beach

was recently named to the 2001 Commonwealth Coast All-Conference

first-team. Manderson, a junior back, helped the Fighting Scots finish

6-0 in conference and 15-3 overall.

By winning the regular season and conference tournament championships,

Gordon earned its first trip to the NCAA Division III Regional

Championships.

The Fighting Scots lost in the first round to Plymouth St. College.

Manderson anchored the defense that finished the season ranked with the

11th best scoring defense nationwide. Manderson was selected to the

first-team for the second straight year.

After a week off, the UCI men’s basketball team (5-2) will hit the

road against the University of San Diego Tuesday at 7 p.m. and then will

travel to Pauley Pavilion to take on UCLA Saturday at 1 p.m.

In Vanguard basketball action this week, the men’s team (3-7, 2-3)

will host La Verne University Friday at 7:30 p.m.

The women’s team (4-4, 3-2) is off until Dec. 19 when the Lions face

Cal State Los Angeles on the road at 3 p.m.