Riverside Returns to State Championships, Faces Diablo Valley Friday at American River
GLENDORA -- Reaching the Southern California Regional Championship game for the tenth time in the last eleven seasons (since 2004), the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's water polo team will be seeking its fifth state championship when the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Women's Water Polo Championships begin next weekend.
Riverside (26-5 overall), the No. 2 seed in the South, retained its lofty ranking as it reached the Southern California Regional Tournament final (hosted at Citrus College) where it lost, 9-8, to No. 1 seed, Fullerton College. The loss was RCC's fifth of the season, all to the Hornets.
Ironically, in 2013, Riverside finished 28-5 overall and was state runner-up with all five losses coming against the Golden West College (GWC) Rustlers.
In the state championship semifinals, to be hosted at American River College in Sacramento, Riverside will face the North No. 1-seeded Diablo Valley College (DVC) Vikings (25-0 overall) on Friday, Nov. 21, in a 10:30 a.m. first sprint. In the other state semifinal, the South No. 1 seed Fullerton (33-0) will take on the North No. 2-seeded Foothill College Owls (18-7 overall) at 1 p.m.
Riverside will be making its twelfth state championships appearance and has won the state crown four times (2005, 2007, 2010, 2011), has been runner-up four times (1999, 2001, 2006, 2013) and has finished in third place three times (2004, 2008, 2009) since the women's water polo state championships were initiated with the 1996 campaign.
Second-year RCC head women's water polo coach Doug Finfrock (UC Irvine '03), who is pictured, was a goaltender for men's water polo at RCC (1999 & 2000). He was a first team all-Orange Empire Conference (OEC) selection and second team all-America honoree in 1999. In 2000, he was a first team all-OEC pick, first team all-Southern California selection, and garnered first team all-America kudos.
Among the other three semifinalists, none has won a state championship, although Fullerton was runner-up in 2012 when it lost to state champion Golden West in its only previous state championships appearance. Diablo Valley is making its eighth appearance and has finished as high as third four times (tie in 2004, tie in 2005, 2006, 2011). Foothill is making its seventh appearance and finished as high as third in 2012.
In the regional final, the Tigers led, 5-2, after the first quarter and were ahead, 6-3, at halftime before the Hornets forged a 7-7 tie as play entered the final eight minutes. Frosh center Kalawna Ray (Murrieta / Vista Murrieta '14) scored four goals and added one assist to pace the Tigers. Sophomore goalie Katia Montoya (Riverside / M.L. King '13) had 12 saves for Riverside.
In earlier regional rounds, after Riverside received a first-round bye, the Tigers dispatched the No. 10 seeds, the Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Vaqueros, 18-4, last Friday (Nov. 14) before advancing to the regional final with an 11-2 win over the Mt. San Antonio College (MSAC) Mounties earlier Saturday (Nov. 15).
In the win over SBCC, the Tigers led only 3-2 after the first quarter, but then led, 7-2, at halftime, and 12-4 after three quarters before outscoring the Vaqueros, 6-0, in the final stanza. Sophomore Nikki Bell (Riverside / M.L. King '13) led the way for the Tigers with a team-high eight goals, one assist and four steals. Sophomore goalie Nikki Vaughan (Riverside / La Sierra '13) had five saves and also had an assist.
Against MSAC, the Tigers broke a 1-1 tie after the first quarter and led, 6-3, at halftime. RCC then scored four goals in the third period and two in the fourth for the 11-2 win. Bell led the Tigers with seven goals, one assist and seven steals. Frosh goalkeeper Kayla Chang (Kahuku, HI), had 13 saves.
The CCCAA State Championships continue through Saturday, Nov. 22, with all games at ARC.
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http://www.cccaasports.org/sports/wwaterpolo/composite - Women
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