OEC Water Polo Tournament Preview
The Orange Empire Conference men’s and women’s water polo tournament will start this Thursday at Orange Coast College. The men will open the tournament on Thursday with two quarterfinal games and two semifinal games with the women doing the same on Friday. The fifth place, third place and championship games will all be played on Saturday.
The Orange Empire Conference men's and women's water polo tournament will start this Thursday at Orange Coast College. The men will open the tournament on Thursday with two quarterfinal games and two semifinal games with the women doing the same on Friday. The fifth place, third place and championship games will all be played on Saturday.
OEC Men's Tournament
Golden West is the favorite on the men's side and comes into the tournament at 29-2 overall and 5-0 in Orange Empire Conference play. The Rustlers have lost only twice all season, and both defeats were against four-year programs. Golden West has 20 players with 10-or-more goals, with Gavin Abbott leading the way with 48. The Rustlers surrender a meager 7.06 goals-per-game on defense while scoring 16.42.
If there is a team with the potential to beat Golden West it is likely inter-district rival Orange Coast. The Pirates have had a great season at 22-8 overall and 4-1 in conference play. Orange Coast played gamely in a 13-7 loss to Golden West two weeks ago, which was a marked improvement from a 13-point loss to the Rustlers at the OCC Mini Tournament earlier in October. Orange Coast is ranked No. 4 in the latest California Community College Water Polo Coaches Association (CCCWPCA) Poll, and six of their eight losses have come against the teams in front of them in the rankings with the other two coming against four-year schools.
Golden West enters the tournament ranked No. 1 in the state in the latest California Community College Water Polo Coaches Association (CCCWPCA) Poll. Orange Coast is ranked No. 4 while Saddleback comes in at No. 8.
OEC Women's Tournament
Orange Coast is the favorite on the women's side after going 22-8 overall and 5-0 in Orange Empire Conference play. All eight losses during the season for the Pirates were against either Santa Barbara City (5) or Long Beach City (3). The closest battles against an OEC opponent both came against Riverside City, with a 14-13 win over the Tigers in mid-September and a 12-10 win at the Battle at the Beach two weeks ago. Orange Coast has the stingiest defense in the conference, giving up just 7.53 goals-per-game for the season. The Pirates have surrendered 5-or-less goals in 11 games this season while scoring 15-or-more in 12 games. Hayden Clark leads the Pirates with 57 goals for the year.
Riverside is the biggest threat to Orange Coast entering the tournament as the Tigers closed out conference play at 20-8 overall and 4-1 in the OEC. RCC has played OCC tough in two-of-three battles this season, and its only losses of the season against community college competition have come against teams ranked above them.
Orange Coast is ranked No. 3 in the latest California Community College Water Polo Coaches Association (CCCWPCA) Poll with Riverside at No. 5, Golden West at No. 8 and Fullerton No. 9.
OEC Tournament Schedule
Thursday, November 6
9:00 AM Cypress vs. Riverside City (game 1)
10:20 AM Saddleback vs. Fullerton (game 2)
1:00 PM Golden West vs. Game 1 Winner (game 3)
2:20 PM Orange Coast vs. Game 2 Winner (game 4)
Friday, November 7
9:00 AM Fullerton vs. Golden West (game 5)
10:20 AM Saddleback vs. Cypress (game 6)
1:00 PM Orange Coast vs. Game 5 Winner (game 7)
2:20 PM Riverside City vs. Game 6 Winner (game 8)
Saturday, November 8
8:30 AM Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (5th Place men)
9:50 AM Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6 (5th Place Women)
11:10 AM Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (3rd Place Men)
12:30 PM Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8 (3rd Place Women)
1:50 PM Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 (Men Championship)
3:10 PM Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 (Women Championship)
*Story by Brad Hoiseth, Saddleback College