Long Beach Soaring In 2024 SCC Women's Water Polo

SCC Standings
SCC Stat Leaders

(Edited Oct. 3, 2:45 p.m. to reflect just released new rankings)

An 8-time defending league champion, the Long Beach City College is poised to make it nine straight South Coast Conference women's water polo titles as it is #1 in the CCCWPCA State Top 10 rankings going into this week's play. 

The Vikings are 14-1 overall and are 1-1 this season v. #3 Riverside City, a member of the Orange Empire Conference. Long Beach's most influential victories thus far were over Riverside, 9-7, and #2 Santa Barbara, 12-9, in going 4-0 at the Orange Coast Tournament plus an early-season 15-13 overtime win #4 West Valley. 

After a 23-2 win over East Los Angeles on Wednesday (October 2), LBCC's conference winning streak reached 76 matches and it hasn't lost in SCC play since 2015. 

As of today, LBCC was tied for first place in conference matches with Mt. San Antonio (7-6 overall) and Cerritos (3-6), all three squads with 3-0 SCC marks. El Camino (6-4) is 2-0 but this will all change when the upper half of the South Coast starts facing each other later this month.

Long Beach is paced by returning 2023 conference MVP Olivia Slavens, who is on pace for a possible Triple Crown in statistics as she currently leads the SCC in goals (42), assists (21) and steals (36). Lola Annear (23 goals) and Mar Bernal (22 goals) are also a big part of the Vikings' pool threats.

Mt. SAC is led by Carolyn Kao with 21 goals while Cerritos is getting stellar play from goalkeeper Fenix Nolasco, who made a school-record 22 saves in the Falcons' 24-6 win over Pasadena City on Oct. 2. She was leading the conference in saves with 94 after nine contests.

El Camino has a standout in Savanna Castigar, who is second to Slavens in SCC goals (35), assists (16) and steals (24). 

Castigar in action for ECC

Other SCC teams include Chaffey, East LA, Pasadena, and Rio Hondo. Some of those squads' better players are the Panthers' Eyvette Villalobos, the Huskies' Brisa Ayala, Lancers' All-SCC Second Team letterman Luna Encinas (eight goals in PCC's three games), and the Roadrunners' Emily Narvaez.

The dual season will continue through this month and the conference season culminates with the SCC Championship Tournament Nov. 7-9 at Mt. SAC. 

Cerritos goalie Fenix Nolasco 

Mt. SAC's Carolyn Kao

Release by Robert Lewis, SCC SID