by Tadzio Garcia
The women’s water polo team lost three matches last week and play in the most important match in 14 years tomorrow.
After a 13-year absence from competition, the team has a chance to extend their regular season at the South Coast Conference Championships at Rio Hondo College.
East Los Angeles College, 2-14 overall, 1-5 in SCC play and Pasadena City College (0-12, 1-7), the eight and ninth seeds in the conference, meet in a wild card match at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow.
The winner is guaranteed three more games in the SCC finals; the loser ends their season.
The favored Huskies beat Pasadena, 10-9, earlier in the season. “We are excited and ready for them,” Irene Young said.
East Los Angeles College lost 13-2 in SCC play at Long Beach City College (11-15, 6-2) last Wednesday.
The Huskies lost to Ventura College (15-8-1) by the same score last weekend in the Pasadena Tournament.
ELAC also lost to Santa Monica College (3-11) 10-3 in the Pasadena Tournament.
Christina Burrola scored two goals off of assists by Kimberly Fierros and Irene Young in the Santa Monica match. Vingfei Zhang also added a goal off of an assist by Burrola.
“Christina (Burrola) played well, stepped up and took charge of the team last week. Veronica Orantes (another team standout) was out injured,” Head Coach Eric Matheson said.
The Huskies put up a good fight at Rio Hondo College on Wednesday, Oct. 23 for two quarters but it wasn’t enough in an 11-4 loss.
“We came out strong in the first half and felt we could win but did not,” Irene Young said.
Young scored two goals for East Los Angeles College, one off of an assist from Orantes. Christina Burrola also scored two goals.
ELAC won an 18-15 overtime thriller against Los Angeles Trade Tech College, Oct. 18 in the Citrus Tournament.
“It was an exciting game. We poured it on in overtime after ending regulation 14-all,” Young said.