Pool Boys & Swinging Girls

It was not the most sucessfull day of athletic endevour the Lompoc Valley has ever seen ...

but Marielle Tabin and Erica Gracyk each scavenged a point from the Spartans.

Girls Tennis

at the Dave Bickmore Courts
Orcutt Academy 16, Lompoc 2

This non-league bout was originally scheduled as a split series, with the JV and varsity playing on different days at the same site. The JV match was completed, but the varsity match was postponed due to rain, then it was cancelled, then it was resurrected, and on Wednesday it was actually played. Perhaps it should have stayed dead.

The Braves singles had a modicum of success, including a pair of wins against Spartan subs, but the search for a solution at doubles continues despite an infusion of new blood from the JV ranks. Each side substituted in the 3rd round - OA twice in singles and Lompoc once each in singles and doubles.

Braves: Singles - Emily Gracyk 0-2 (0-6, 3-6), Melanie Esparza 0-1 (0-6); Marielle Tabin 1-2 (2-6, 3-6, 6-0); Erica Gracyk 1-2 (6-0, 5-7, 1-6). Doubles - Janett Ruiz/Mariana Soto 0-3 (1-6, 0-6, 0-6); Noemi Diaz/Genesis Garza 0-3 (0-6, 0-6, 0-6); Stephanie Babadillo/Aspen McDougal 0-2 (0-6, 0-6), Christina Macias/Marisol Villalobos 0-1 (0-6).

Spartans: Singles - Sarai Aguirre 2-0 (6-0, 6-2), Haylee Thomas 0-1 (6-0); Zoe Hull 3-0 (6-0, 6-3, 7-5); Josalin Vais 2-0 (6-3, 6-1), Maelen Nakasawa 0-1 (0-6). Doubles - Maddie Seeds/Maddie Ortiz 3-0 (6-1, 6-0, 6-0); Kasey Ortiz/Alyssa Cervantis 3-0 (6-0, 6-0, 6-0); Alex Lopez/Jordan Bashline 3-0 (6-2, 6-0, 6-0).

Boys Water Polo

at the City of Lompoc Aquatic Center
Nipomo 18, Lompoc 8

Titans   - 8, 3, 4, 3 - 18
Braves - 2, 1, 5, 0 - 8

Speaking of things being resurrected, the slow rebirth of the LHS water polo team continued on Wednesday. The Braves hosted a Nipomo squad that has struggled after graduating most of the players from the outfit that won the 2011 LPL Title.

Lompoc was semi-competitive in this one, but still showed their lack of experience and depth. That depth was diminished by splitting the squad so that, for the first time this season, they could play both JV and varsity games on the same day. That depth was further eroded when several players fouled out and had to be replaced, meaning that there were also fewer players available for the JV game.

Titans Goals: Melchor de la Garza 6, James Hayes 5; 2 each - Zak Miller, Cooper Merrill, Santos Pena; 1 apiece - Zach Smith, David Caruso, Kyle Gaussoin.

Braves Goals: Matthew Willis 5, Trevor Parker 2, Harrison Brown 1.

Junior Varsity
Nipomo 16, Lompoc 0

The Braves only fielded 7 players on JV, some of whom had actually had playing time in the pool before. The thinnest position was the goalie spot, where Head Coach Taylor Emery got to choose a candidate from among the field players just before the game. As it turned out, he used a few.

Titans: Matt Dahlberg 6 goals; 2 goals apiece - Marco Checchi, Evan Lee, & Jayce Simpson; 1 goal each - Austin McDaniel, Brian Jimenez, Mika Kipalanien, Daniel Alvarado.

Other LPL Contests
Cabrillo / Morro Bay

Game was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but has been moved to Thursday, same time (2:40 pm varsity/3:40 pm JV) and location (COL Aquatic Center).