Peirsol misses the cut

"I hope for Cecil that he goes and takes care of his business over at Santa Ana, and knocks out the units he needs to knock out, and then gets up there [at Cal] next semester and gets a chance to go to spring ball," said Brinkley, who coached the three-time first-team All-Sunset League player for four years. "Sometimes young guys don't realize the impact these things have, not only on them, their immediate future, but the long-term future. It can change somebody's whole life.

"If he can get up there and play for four years and get his degree, it'll set him up for the rest of his life."

— David Carrillo Peñaloza

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Ross eliminated from tourney

Newport Harbor High alumna April Ross and her partner, Jen Kessy, were eliminated from the Federation Internationale de Volleyball World Tour beach volleyball event Friday in Aland, Finland.

Ross and Kessy, the No. 4-seeded team, were defeated by top-seeded Brazilians Larissa Franca and Juliana Silva, 19-21, 21-15, 15-11, to fall into the contender's bracket, where they then were ousted by No. 3-seeded Xue Chen and Zhang Xi of China, 21-14, 21-15.

The fifth-place finish for Ross and Kessy marks seven straight FIVB events in which they have failed to finish in the top three. The duo had earned medals in four of the first five FIVB events this season, including victories in Shanghai and Rome.

The victory for Franca and Silva over Ross and Kessy extended the Brazilians' winning streak to 39 matches. The Brazilians have won the last five FIVB events and have topped the field in seven of the 10 FIVB events they have entered this season.

— From staff reports

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Belden aids victory

Newport Harbor High product Anne Belden scored two goals to help the U.S. women's national team defeat Hungary, 10-5, in the FINA World Cup water polo tournament Friday in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Belden has been a consistent scoring weapon for the Americans, who are 3-1 in the event and are now assured of playing for a medal.

Team USA will face the winner of the China-New Zealand match today.

— From staff reports

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Lions win opener

Senior forward Karri Currier scored two goals to help the Vanguard University women's soccer team earn a 5-0 season-opening victory over nonconference visitor Vancouver Island on Thursday.

Sophomore Amanda Couch, senior Christy Horning and freshman Annamarie Tedeschi added goals for the Lions, for whom Ivana Mendez, Kimberly James, Horning and Wisniewski contributed assists.