Girls’ Water Polo: Local quartet competes in Argentina

Four local girls’ water polo players are on the United States Women’s Youth National Team that will compete at the UANA Youth Pan American Championships, beginning Sunday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Newport Harbor High incoming junior defender Rachel Whitelegge and incoming junior goalie Carlee Kapana, as well as Corona del Mar incoming sophomore utility Maddie Musselman and Mater Dei senior attacker Brianna Daboub, will all represent Team USA. Daboub is a Newport Beach resident.

The United States Women’s Youth National Team opens the tournament Sunday against Puerto Rico, at 11:45 a.m. Pacific time. Team USA then faces Venezuela at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Canada at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Brazil at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday and Argentina at 1 p.m. on Thursday.

The Pan American semifinals are scheduled for Aug. 30, with the championship match on Aug. 31.

Whitelegge and Musselman each became key components for the Newport Harbor and CdM teams, respectively, that advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship match in February. Whitelegge was a second-team All-Sunset League and third-team All-CIF Division 1 honoree, while Musselman led CdM in steals even while coming off the bench. Kapana played for the Sailors’ highly regarded junior varsity team last year, the one that won the Costa Mesa Classic varsity tournament and finished ninth in another varsity tournament, the Holiday Cup.

Two years ago, Kapana helped the women’s youth national team earn silver at the Youth Pan American Championships in Puerto Rico. She also was on the national team that finished fourth at the inaugural FINA Youth World Championships in Perth, Australia last December.

Daboub was a first-team All-CIF Division 2 selection for Mater Dei last winter, helping the Monarchs advance to the Division 2 title match for the second straight year.

— Matt Szabo