November 2008 Archives
The No. 16 University of Redlands men's water polo team won three straight games despite falling to fifth-seeded No. 15 Santa Clara University in its opening game of the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Championships on Friday to ensure a fifth-place finish in the three-day postseason tournament.
The championship tournament, which took place at Claremont Mudd-Scripps Colleges from Nov. 21-23, included a 10-team field: No. 8 Loyola Marymount University, No. 9 UC San Diego, No. 11 UC Davis, Redlands, Santa Clara, the No. 20 U.S. Air Force Academy (CO), Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, Chapman University and UC Santa Cruz.
A three-goal effort by senior driver Andrew Becskehazy (Miami, FL) on Friday fell just short of lifting the Bulldogs over Santa Clara. Redlands led 7-6 at the half, but the Broncos netted four second-half goals to the maroon and gray's two to edge Redlands 10-9 in the first-round matchup.
Becskehazy led the way again in Redlands' second game, which took place on Saturday, but this time, the Bulldogs prevailed, crushing UC Santa Cruz by a 13-5 final.
Redlands defeated the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) champions, Pomona-Pitzer, with ease in its second contest on Saturday, advancing to the fifth-place game after winning 11-5.
Sunday's game against Air Force featured a high offensive output from both teams, and the score was knotted at 10 at the end of regulation. The Bulldogs scored three goals to the Falcons' one in the first overtime period, giving Redlands the 13-11 win. Senior utility player Buddy Olds (Murrieta, CA) finished out his collegiate water polo career playing the role of the hero, scoring a team-high three goals.
Becskehazy wrote a storybook ending to an illustrious Bulldog water polo career, leading the team in its four games with nine goals. Junior center Brendan Meaney (Palm Desert, CA) scored seven goals while Olds and sophomore defender Andrew Smith-Jones (Annapolis, MD) compiled six apiece to supplement Becskehazy's offensive success. Also scoring for Redlands were senior defender Jon Rielly (Vista, CA), sophomore center Miran Terzic (Mostar, Bosna i Hercegovina), junior utility player Brent Dotters (Porterville, CA) with three, junior driver Taylor Swyers (St. Louis, MO), senior utility player Jim Kehrig (Danville, CA), junior defender John Floersch (San Jose, CA) and junior utility player Ian Starkie (Arroyo Grande, CA) with two and junior center Ben Taylor (Porterville, CA) with one.
In goal, senior goalkeeper Teddy Trowbridge (Mercer Island, WA) saved a team-high 18 shots while junior goalkeeper Jack Amaral (Porterville, CA) also saw action between the posts and tallied 11 saves.
Redlands closed out its excellent season with a 29-9 record, including a 9-1 mark in conference games.
in women's volleyball came up just short as the Leopards fell to
Emory University (Ga.) 3-1 (16-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-22) in the
Division III title match Saturday at the Shirk Center on the campus
of Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington, Ill.
La Verne (27-3) came into the tournament ranked No. 4 nationally but
seeded second in the field. The Leopards earned a spot in the final
with a dramatic 3-2 win over No. 1 Juniata in Friday's semifinal.
Coach Don Flora was thrilled with his team's showing. The Leopards
have just two seniors and started four new players this season.
``It's a little hard to see the forest through the trees right now,''
he said. ``But the forest is planted and it's growing well.''
La Verne hit .224 on the night and was again led by senior Brianna
Gonzales with 18 kills. Junior Crista Jones added 16 but no other
Leopard had more than three.
The Leopards came out hot, hitting .345 in an opening game they
dominated. It was even at 5-all but La Verne went on a 14-4 run with
that stretch including four kills by Gonzales, three by Jones and two
service aces by Chelsea Sleight. It later ended on a winner by Anna
Calmer.
``We started out real clean. It was fun to watch,'' Flora added. ``We
have talked about calm and intensity and here we were in a national
championship and the girls showed so much poise.''
La Verne led the second set 12-11 on a kill by Gonzales but the
Eagles eventually went ahead 13-12 on a service ace by Kelsey Kryston
and didn't trail again. They led by as many as four at 23-19 and at
24-20 and evened the match at one set each on a winner by Amelia
McCall.
Emory (35-6) also took the third game. Up 11-9 the Eagles tallied
five of the next six points and going up 16-10 on a spike by senior
Maggie Baird. The Leopards hit just .087 in the game and were not in
striking distance again.
The fourth game was tight the entire way. It was even at 22 but the
Eagles went up on kill by Maggie Baird. They got their first match
point on senior Dani Huffman's block of a spike by Jones. Baird then
converted on Emory's first match point.
It was the second meeting this season between the two teams. Emory
defeated La Verne 3-2 in a tournament the Leopards hosted at the
Frantz Athletic Court on Oct 11.
It was the first national title for Emory which outlasted No. 8 Ohio
Northern 3-2 in Friday's semifinal.
Huffman was named tournament MVP. Gonzales and Jones also made the
all-tournament team.
The University of La Verne volleyball team will play for the national championship, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to produce a five-set triumph against top-ranked Juniata College.
La Verne took down the nation's #1 team by delivering a 3-2 (20-25, 25-18, 13-25, 25-22, 17-15) triumph over Juniata in the NCAA Semifinal round Friday at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Illinois. The Leopards will face either Emory or Ohio Northern in the final scheduled for a 7 pm CST start (5 pm PST) on Saturday .
With the win, the Leopards reach the championship match for the first time since 2001, when they captured the school's third national title in volleyball. Ironically, it was also La Verne's first win over Juniata since the 2001 NCAA Semifinals when the Leos topped the Eagles in five games on Dec. 1, 2001 in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The victory also avenged a 3-1 defeat to Juniata earlier this season on Oct. 10 at La Verne.
In a roller-coaster fifth set that produced 11 ties and five lead changes, La Verne took a 9-6 lead only to watch the Eagles run off four straight points to retake the lead at 10-9. A Crista Jones kill followed by a Rebecca Villanueva service ace and Eagle ball handling error allowed the Leos to reclaim the advantage at 12-10. It wouldn't last as Juniata took the next three points - thanks in part to two La Verne hitting errors - to lead 13-12.
The two teams traded the next two points and at 14-13, Juniata held a match point to reach its fourth final in five years. But a Brianna Gonzales kill tied the contest at 14-14, and a Juniata attack error on the ensuing point gave La Verne a match point at 15-14. A kill by National Player of the Year Amber Thomas denied the Leopards momentarily as the teams were again deadlocked at 15-15. Gonzales returned the favor with a kill, and on the next point, an attack from the Eagles sailed out, giving La Verne a berth in the NCAA Championship match.
Statistically, Juniata hit .184 for the evening with the Leopards hitting .181. Though the Eagles recorded 11 blocks compared to 7 for La Verne, the Leos held a 84-74 edge in digs while collecting 61 assists to 53 for the Eagles.
Juniata was poised to take the contest in four sets as a 6-2 run gave the Eagles a 17-13 advantage. But La Verne battled its way to a decisive fifth set with a 6-1 run to grab a 19-18 lead. Tied at 19-19, the Leos scored three straight points to seize control at 22-19, eventually claiming the set at 25-22 to earn a 2-2 set deadlock.
Jones finished with a team-high 18 kills while Gonzales totaled 16 kills in the win. Jones hit .302 for the match with Gonzales also registering 22 digs to tie for match-high honors to also record a double-double. Rebecca Villanueva recorded 10 kills while Ashley Morgado collected 8 kills. Setter Yesenia Lopez directed the Leopard offense to the tune of 51 assists, also a match-high.
Juniata took a 1-0 lead with a 25-20 set win in the opening stanza. The Eagles raced out to a 5-0 but the Leopards clawed back to draw even at 8-8. The teams were knotted at 13-13 before the Eagles began their surge, going on a decisive 6-0 to grab a 22-16 they would not relinquish. Though the Leopards hit .317 in the first set, they were hampered by four service errors along with a pair of blocking errors.
The Leopards countered with a 25-18 triumph in the second frame, hitting .484 while limiting the Eagles to a .139 percentage. Leading 11-10, La Verne used a 9-2 spurt to take a 20-12 lead as they cruised to victory. Gonzales and Villanueva combined for 8 of the Leopards' 15 kills in the set.
It was a different story in the third set as the Eagles dominated action, earning an emphatic 25-13 win to take a 2-1 set advantage. Juniata led 10-5 early and held a 14-9 cushion before winning seven of the next nine points to hold an insurmontable 21-11 lead. La Verne struggled offensively hitting -.079 in the fourth set as the Eagles recorded 6 blocks against the Leos.
Thomas, a two-time National Player of the Year and a four-time All-American, finished with a match-high 19 kills. Erin Albert collected 13 kills while Megan Sollenberger totaled 22 digs to equal Gonzales for match-high honors.
semifinal, besting unranked New Paltz State 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-26)
in quarterfinal play Thursday at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington,
Ill.
The Leopards (26-2) will play No. 1 ranked Juniata (35-4) in today's
semifinal with the winner getting the chance to play for a national
championship.
``It was nice to go and get this one out of the way,'' La Verne coach
Don Flora said. ``It was a matchup we definitely thought we should
win. We took care of business on our side of the net the way we
needed to.''
La Verne, which last made the national semifinal in 2005, was led by
senior outside hitter Brianna Gonzales who tallied 17 kills and 10
digs. Junior Crista Jones added nine kills while junior Rebecca
Villanueva contributed seven with 11 digs.
Junior setter Yesenia Lopez was the catalyst of the offense with 36
assists and eight digs and Courtney Boyd reeled off six service aces.
The Leopards are familiar with today's opponent, having faced Juniata
earlier this season in a tournament they hosted. Juniata won that
battle 3-1
``We are excited about getting another chance to play them,'' Flora
added. ``We do what we can to see as many quality teams as possible
because of this. We hope to see tham again when it really counts.''
Juniata advanced with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-22) win over
Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the first of the four quarterfinals Thursday.
The Jaguars got 12 kills from Amber Thomas and 11 from Erin Albert.
By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer
LAVERNE - The last thing University of La Verne coach Don Flora wanted was to see his SCIAC rival a third time when it mattered most. That's what he got. But like the first two times the Leopards prevailed 3-1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-20, 28-26) Saturday at Frantz Athletic Court in the championship match of the Division III West Region tournament.
The win sends the No. 4 Leopards (25-2) into the national tournament for the fifth time in coach Don Flora's 11-year tenure. That event begins on Thursday at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington, Ill.
``I hate that cliché that it's hard to beat a team three times but it's really true,'' Flora said. ``The pressure was all on us. They had absolutely nothing to lose. Everyone expected them to lose. That was a great Division III volleyball match. It was two teams going at it strength against strength.''
The most recent meeting wasn't as easy as the first two. La Verne struggled early on, hitting just .036 in an opening game that No. 14 Cal Lutheran won 25-20 behind the five kills of Megan Thorpe.
But the Leopards upped the level of their play with each of the following games, winning the second 25-22 while hitting .231 and the third 25-20 hitting an even-better .267.
The fourth game featured 17 ties nine lead changes, with no team building more than a three-point lead. The Regals (26-7), who upset Cal State East Bay in Friday's semifinal, turned aside four match points the first coming at 24-22 when Erin Exline and Lindsay Benson blocked a shot by La Verne's Brianna Gonzales.
Cal Lutheran (26-7) had a game point at 25-24 but a service error, one of its 12 on the night, evened it at 25. It was tied for the last time at 26 but the Regals' Allison Kerr landed a shot in the net to give the host team its fifth match point. This time the Leos secured it on a Cal Lutheran hitting error.
``It is definitely a relief to finally be able to think about nationals,'' said Gonzales, named the tournament's most outstanding player. ``We worked hard to get here. Even though we played them twice, that didn't matter. We were just focused on this match.''
Gonzales had 27 kills on 74 attacks. She also had 12 digs and three aces. Crista Jones contributed 16 and Rebecca Villanueva 12. Yesenia Lopez tallied 44 assists and 18 digs and Courtney Boyd had a team-high 25 digs.
Kerr had 14 to lead Call Lutheran which hit .196 on the night.
``There was pressure but we tried to stay calm and not freak out,'' junior middle blocker Ashley Morgado said. ``We have faith in each other and that helps because that turns the pressure into belief that we're going to come through.''
The trip to nationals will be the first for all but Gonzales and Madison Bradley who were freshman on the 2005 team that lost the national semifinal to Wisconsin-Whitewater.
``There's no reason we can't go there and finish the job,'' Gonzaels added.
as No. 3 seed Cal Lutheran and top-seeded host University of LaVerne
advanced with semifinal wins Friday at Frantz Athletic Court.
Senior Brianna Gonzales and junior Crista Jones tallied 16 kills each
to lead the No. 4 ranked Leopards to a 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-20,
25-12) win over Nebraska Wesleyan. Ashley Morgado contributed 11 for
La Verne, which hit .222 on the night.
Yesenia Lopez was the catalyst of the offense with 39 assists. She
also had 21 digs. Chelsea Slight led all players in the defensive
department with 25 digs.
Abby Bade led Nebraska with 17 kills and two solo blocks.
The Kingsmen (26-6) upset No. 2 seed and No. 9 nationally ranked Cal
State East Bay 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-18). Balance was the key as
Allison Kerr had nine kills while three other players notched eight
each.
This will be the third time La Verne and Cal Lutheran have squared
off. The Leopards won both regular season meetings 3-0 and 3-1.
La Verne volleyball coach Don Flora has been named AVCA West Region Coach of the Year for the 2008 season. It is the fourth time that Flora has received AVCA West Region Coach of the Year honors during his tenure with the Leopards.
Under the direction of Flora, La Verne finished the 2008 season with a 23-2 overall record, a perfect 14-0 record in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and a No. 4 national ranking in the Bison/AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 Poll. Additionally this season, Flora led his team to its ninth-straight conference championship, while only dropping two sets in conference play along the way.
The Leopards currently have a 28-game win streak in the SCIAC, which ranks as the second longest streak in league history behind their own 56-match win streak set between 2001 and 2005. Flora's Leopards are making their ninth-straight appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament, serving as host for the NCAA West Regional this weekend, where they earned a first-round bye and will face the winner of the Pacific Lutheran and Nebraska Wesleyan match.
Flora, who has been at the helm of La Verne for 11 seasons, has led his team to the West Region title four times, the NCAA Championship semifinals four times and an NCAA Division III title in 2001. His career mark now stands at 265-58. This is the fourth time Flora has earned AVCA Division III West Region Coach of the Year honors. He also received the award in 2001, 2003 and 2006.
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
Radio: KMET (1490-AM)
About
About Cal Lutheran: The Kingsmen also rely on defense and rank fourth nationally led by DE Jacob Calderon, last year's player of the year. Cal Lu ranks first nationally defending the pass and has not yielded a touchdown pass through the air in conference play. Elusive QB Jericho Tolilolo is the catalyst of the offense and is good at making things happen on the run. The Kingsmen also boast a reliable place-kicker in Jackson Damron.
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
About
About Chapman: The Panthers, a Division III independent, are coming off a 21-7 loss at
POMONA-PITZER (2-6, 1-4) at CLAREMONT-MUDD-SCRIPPS (3-5, 2-3)
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
About Pitzer: The Sagehens have been totally reliant on a passing game that averages 294 yards a game. Sophomore Jacob Caron threw for 507 yards last week with Kevin Kelley, last week's SCIAC Athlete of the Week, catching 16 for 272 yards in a 62-33 loss at Occidental. R.J. Maki has been a steady performer on both sides of the ball and on special teams. Success here depends on whether or not the rushing game can contribute.
.
About CMS: The Stags snapped a three-game losing streak with a 31-6 win over
CHAFFEY (5-4, 2-3) at
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
About Chaffey: The Panthers are coming off a 27-14 loss to College of the Desert that spelled the end of any postseason Bowl hopes. A number of Panthers are playing through nagging injuries including leading rusher Mark Chase (96 yards) who missed some practice time this week with a sprained ankle. Edward Heath is the team's leading tackler.
About
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
About Victor: The Rams snapped a three-game losing streak with a 39-17 win over
About MSJ: The Eagles have played better of late, winning two of their last three games with one of those wins coming over a team the Rams lost to. They have used four quarterbacks but freshman Carmen Boyer worked the entire game last week. Other key players on offense are RB Butch Tuvale (562, 6 TDs) and WR Daniel Chamberlain (673 yards, 6 TDs). Freshman DB Clarence Laster is the leading tackler.
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
About SBVC: This is the last chance for the Wolverines to chalk up a win and snap a 14-game losing streak that dates back to last season. The bright spot for coach Pat Meech's team has been the improvement of freshman QB Danny Laugen. Meech also singled out the play of WR Robert Anderson, LBs Cordell Nugent and Shawn Borden and DB John Lewis.
About Harbor: The Seahawks rank first in the South in passing (329.4 ypg) with QB Andrew Trudnowski but don't do much of anything else. They average 148 on the ground. Chris Mathews is his favorite target. Harbor has lost three in a row and six of its last seven.
By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer
The
But for that to even be a possibility the Bulldogs (7-1, 4-1) have to get past Cal Lutheran (6-2, 4-1) first. And that will not be an easy task.
Occidental (8-0, 5-0) is just a win over hapless Whittier (1-7) away from locking up the SCIAC title and automatic bid for the playoffs but Redlands is hoping for an at-large bid. The Division III playoff draw will be announced Sunday. Occidental is ranked second in the West Region and will likely get to host a first round playoff game. If that happens it would make sense from a cost standpoint for the NCAA to give
``Obviously we have to win this game or it doesn't matter,''
Spectators taking in today's contest shouldn't expect a lot of scoring.
Both teams lost to Occidental with
``They're a very good team. We're certainly not taking them lightly,'' Maynard said. ``They have been very solid on defense and they have a quarterback (Jericho Toilolo) that can make things happen with his athletic ability.''
``They pushed us and we had to respond,'' he said. ``We played well in the first half and the fourth quarter but had to really gut it out.''
By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer
It wasn't just any old loss. It was CMS, the cross-street rival. So when the teams meet Saturday at 1 p.m. at Pomona-Pitzer to play for the Peace Pipe, the sophomore standout will be looking for a little poetic justice.
``There were a couple throws in that game he'd like to have back and that was one of them,'' said Pitzer coach Roger Caron, also Jacob's father. ``He definitely has some added incentive.''
Neither team is going anywhere in the standings with Pitzer at 2-6 overall and 1-4 in conference play and CMS slightly better at 3-5 and 2-3. But that doesn't lessen the intensity of the rival which started in 1959. CMS holds a slight 27-23 edge overall, although there is some debate as to when the teams actually started playing for a prize.
``There is always a buzz around here when it comes to that game,'' Caron added. ``There were good teams here that were expected to win that game and lost and vice versa. As coaches we don't have to say much about it because the kids are already talking about it.''
Stags coach Rick Candaele agrees.
``There are very few rivalries where the other team is 20 yards up the street,'' he said. ``It may be Division III but it would be like
The Sagehens look to have the advantage because of the emergence of Caron. He threw for 1,659 yards with seven touchdowns and 15 interceptions as a true freshman but has improved to the tune of 2,359 yards with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season. He threw for 507 last week in a loss to unbeaten Occidental.
The CMS secondary has been solid led by SCIAC interceptions leader Brock Olson. He will be tested as will teammates Landon Patoc, David Spiller and Blake Kos.
``He (Caron) presents a problem,'' Candaele said. ``He's tall and got good vision downfield and he gets rid of the ball pretty fast. We're going to have to put some pressure on him and limit the damage.''
CMS will be led by senior quarterback Ryan Larsen, who has struggled with a shoulder but appears healthier now.
Elsewhere
In the community college ranks Chaffey will be at
By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer
Coming into the season, University of La Verne volleyball coach Don
Flora wasn't quite sure what to expect. He didn't have an experienced
setter returning and that was just one of many question marks.
So that fact his team is ranked third nationally and favored to win
the six-team Division III West tournament which starts Thursday is a
little overwhelming.
The Leopards (23-2) are seeded first so they earned a first-round
bye, as did No. 2 seed Cal State East Bay. La Verne is 5-0 against
teams in the field with No. 4 seed Pacific Lutheran the lone team in
the field it has not faced. Four of those five wins came by 3-1
scores and the other was a 3-0 sweep.
The Leopards, ranked fourth nationally, will take to the court Friday
against the winner of tonight's Nebraska Wesleyan-Pacific Lutheran
match.
``This team has exceeded my expectations big time,'' says Flora,
rounding out his 11th season. ``I knew we had some talented players
but we also had a lot of question marks. We have had some kids step
up and contribute more than they had in the past. It has been a very
rewarding season already.''
La Verne is led by two-time SCIAC Player of the Year Brianna
Gonzales. She led the SCIAC in kills per game (3.92), ranked eight in
hitting percentage (.268) and ninth in digs per game (3.47).
Other veteran starters are junior middle Crista Jones, junior middle
Ashley Morgado and sophomore libero Chelsea Slight.
But what has made the difference for the Leopards is the progress of
junior setter Yesenia Lopez. She red-shirted her freshman year at
Cal State Bakersfield, then played there sparingly in 2006. She
transferred to La Verne last year where she again saw limited duty.
Flora was so concerned about the setter position he brought in three
newcomers to compete for the spot with sophomore Anna Calmer who
served as the backup last year. The emergence of Lopez allowed him to
move Calmer to hitter, giving the Leopards another weapon on the
outside and solving another problem.
It worked so well both Calmer and Lopez earned all-conference honors.
Flora gave all the credit Lopez.
``She was 100 percent committed to becoming a better player,'' he
said. ``She worked hard over the summer and got fit and got stronger.
It was all her. In addition to that she has become a very good leader
which is something you really want out of your setter.''
The Leopards have won nine straight SCIAC titles, last advancing to
the Elite Eight in 2005. Gonzales and senior Madison Bradley are the
holdovers from that team. They're prepared for another run.
``I'm really proud of this team, especially the young girls that have
improved so much'' Gonzales said. ``We're peaking at the right time
and we're ready.''
DIVISION II WEST REGION VOLLEYBALL
Site: Frantz Athletic Court, University of La Verne
Schedule: Thursday - No. 3 Cal Lutheran (24-6) vs. No. 6 Puget Sound
(17-7), 4:30 p.m.; No. 5 Nebraska Wesleyan (19-9) vs. No. 4 Pacific
Lutheran (20-6), 7 p.m.; Friday (semifinals) - No. 2 East Bay (29-4)
vs. Cal Lutheran-Puget Sound winner, 4:30 p.m.; No. 1 La Verne (23-2)
vs. Wesleyan-Pacific Lutheran winner, 7 p.m.; Saturday (Championship)
- 7 p.m.
Defending champion: Puget Sound
What's at stake: The winner will play in the Elite eight at the
Shirks Center at Illinois Wesleyan (Bloomington, Ill.) Nov. 20-22.
Comment: La Verne dropped to No. 4 in this week's AVCA poll despite
not losing. Five of the six teams in the field are ranked with East
Bay at No. 9, Cal Lutheran at No. 14, Pacific at No. 16 and Puget
Sound at No. 20.
Admission: Adults $6, students $5, children 12-under $4.
The University of La Verne will hold a public memorial service for longtime football coach Roland Ortmayer on Nov. 22. Ortmayer, who led the Leopards for 43 years, passed away last month at 91.
The event is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the school's football stadium which is named after him.
The second part of the event will feature a video presentation with the final speakers in the adjacent Franz Athletic Court.
Among those schedule to speak are Rex Huigens, who coached with Ortmayer for 25 years and succeeded him as coach, as well as Steve Ortmayer, Roland's nephew and an assistant coach at the University of Kentucky.
Others are Ortmayer's daughter Corlan, University President Steve Morgan and current Alta Loma High School coach and La Verne alum John Kusleika.
Those wanting to attend should RSVP the schools' alumni office at (909) 593-3511, ext. 4760 or by email at alumni@ulv.edu by Nov.19.
University of La Verne volleyball standout Brianna Gonzales has been named the 2008 SCIAC Player of the Year after helping lead the Leopards to their ninth straight conference championship and second consecutive undefeated league mark.
Gonzales was joined by four other Leopards in the All-Conference awards as Crista Jones and Anna Calmer were First Team All-SCIAC selections while Yesenia Lopez and Ashley Morgado each earned Second Team nods.
Voting for the all-conference teams was conducted among the league's coaches.
Gonzales paced La Verne She tallied a team-high 310 kills (3.92 per game) while also collecting 274 digs which ranked second-most on the Leopard squad. She had a .268 overall hitting percentage on the season while hitting .304 in conference matches from her outside
hitter position. Gonzales also reached double figures in both kills and digs in 14 matches this season.
A senior from Whittier, Gonzales repeats as SCIAC Player of the Year from last season and becomes La Verne's first two-time Player of the Year since Amy Kratochvil (2002, 2004). Her selection marks the 16th time a La Verne student-athlete has earned SCIAC Player of the Year honors in volleyball.
Jones led La Verne in hitting percentage at .353 in all matches while hitting .397 in conference play. The junior middle blocker also tallied 225 kills (2.85 per game) in addition to leading the team in blocks with 72. Jones makes her third appearance on the All-SCIAC squad after a First Team selection in 2006 and a Second Team nod in 2007.
A sophomore from La Habra, Calmer earns her first selection to the All-SCIAC team after making a successful transition from setter to rightside hitter for the Leopards. Calmer finished the regular season with 157 kills, an average of 2.01 per game.
A junior from Hacienda Heights, Morgado makes her first All-SCIAC selection after collecting 123 kills. The middle blocker also registered 58 total blocks this season.
Lopez dished out a team-high 721 assists. The junior setter from West Covina helped La Verne record the highest team hitting percentage in the conference (.250) while averaging 8.90 assists per game which ranked second in SCIAC play.
La Verne finished the regular season with a 23-2 overall record including a 14-0 mark in the SCIAC to earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Leopards are currently ranked #3 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)
Division III Top 25 Poll.
The team includes:
Anna Calmer OH ULV SO
Emily Hudson OH CMS FR
Summer Plante-Newman OH CLU JR
Crista Jones M ULV JR
Allison Kerr M CLU SO
Linsdey Benson S CLU SR
Ruchi Patel L PP SR
Second Team
Corri Hayes OH CLU JR
Helena Bottemiller M CMS SR
Ashley Morgado M ULV JR
Alex Harrison S CMS SR
Yesenia Lopez S ULV JR
Chelsea Arcaris L UR SO
Erin Exline M CLU SO
After reentering the D3football.com poll yesterday at No. 25, the University of Redlands football team also improved its standing on the America Football Coaches Association (AFCA) national poll by landing at No. 21 this week.
On Saturday, the Bulldogs defeated Chapman University in a solid 21-7 effort that included a red-zone play for the Panthers that was halted by the second-best defense in the country.
Redlands currently leads all of Division III in net punting and tackles for loss while ranking third in scoring defense.
Redlands (7-1, 4-1 SCIAC) hosts conference rival Cal Lutheran University in its regular-season finale on Saturday a 1 p.m.
By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer
Jeff Willey scored off an assist from Nick Gunderson 29 seconds into
the second overtime to give the top-seeded the University of Redlands
a 2-1 win over third-seeded Pomona-Pitzer in the championship game of
the SCIAC tournament.
The win sends the Bulldogs (16-4-1) into the Division III playoffs
with pairings to be announced Monday.
Redlands finished with a commanding 40-14 edge in shots. It also had
a goal late in regulation ruled no good. But Coach Ralph Perez
appreciated his team's determination.
"You have to overcome. Sometimes it's the opponent. Sometimes it's a
referee's decision,'' Perez said. ``Sometimes it's a game when things
aren't going your way.''
It was the second game in as many tries where the Bulldogs where
forced to double overtime. They defeated Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in
Thursday's semifinals 1-0.
``I've never been a big fan of the tournament because I think 14
games is enough,'' Perez said. ``But this does help make you
tournament tough, tournament ready.''
The Sagehens (10-7-3) scored first despite being outshot 27-8 to that
point. A Sagehen player was tripped inside the box on a breakaway and
Andrew Stamm converted the penalty kick to give the visitors a 1-0
lead with 16:50 left.
The Bulldogs appeared to answer with 12:47 left when Willey dished
the ball off to Bryan Fakkema who sent the ball to the right side of
the net sending the Bulldogs into celebration. But that proved
premature as the referee called the ball off the inside of the post.
It didn't take long for them to answer though. Just a minute later
Alex Parker did score from 15 yards out off a pass from Fakkema,
tying it at 1-all.
The Sagehens played the last 10 minutes of regulation a player short after a red card had been issued to one of their players after a hard tackle on the Bulldogs Alex Parker.
Pomona-Pitzer keeper Charlie Balter made 13 saves while Redlands'
Evan Hobson needed to make just three.
By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer
It was Athenas sophomore Laura Hagen chipping a shot in from 20 yards out 20 minutes into the second half to give the third-seeded CMS squad a 1-0 win over the top-seeded Bulldogs in the SCIAC Championship at Farquhar Field Saturday night. The win sends CMS (11-8-1) into the playoffs as the conference representative.
The Bulldogs had a 21-10 edge in shots, many of those coming in the last 10 minutes in which they dominated play but nothing got past keeper Camila Friedman-Gerlicz.
``I think I've aged 10 years in the last 10 minutes,'' CMS coach Keri Sanchez said. ``They're a great team and we knew it was going to be a hard-fought battle. It was a relief to score the first goal but we knew they were going to battle.''
The Bulldogs had not allowed a goal since a 1-0 double overtime loss to Pomona-Pitzer on Oct. 11. They came in with a streak of seven straight shutouts that included a 3-0 win over the
CMS lost four of its last five regular season games and needed a penalty kick shootout to get past Cal Lutheran 3-2 in the semifinal.
``We definitely felt like the underdog coming in,''
Twelve minutes after the Athenas made it 1-0, the Bulldogs had a great chance. A shot by Becky Willis was knocked away by a diving Friedman-Gerlicz. The ball deflected back to Emily van den Bosch but her shot was just over the crossbar.
The Bulldogs had even better chances in the second half. A shot by Kelsey Kimmel from 25 yards out with 5:03 was wide left. A minute later Kaily Benanti dribbled toward the net but the ball she never got a good swing at the ball and it slipped off the left corner of the net.
Then in the last minute and Redlands in desperation mode a direct kick by Chelsea Hafley went right of the goal and out of bounds before a teammate could catch up to it. That proved to be the Bulldogs last chance.
Friedman-Gelicz made nine saves while
The Division III playoff draw will be announced Monday. It will be another wait-and-see for the Bulldogs who have won the regular season two of the last three years, only to lose in the tournament.
``The SCIAC hasn't been very lucky when it comes to getting a second team in,''
For the seventh consecutive match, the No. 20 University of Redlands women's soccer team shut out its opponent, taking out the University of La Verne by a 3-0 score in the semifinal round of the 2008 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Postseason Tournament on Wednesday at Farquhar Field.
After a scoreless first half, sophomore midfielder Jessi Hoyt (Boise, ID) took a pass from freshman midfielder Jaimie Morton (Boise, ID) and chipped a shot over Leopard keeper Tatiana Gutierrez's head for the first goal of the match.
Freshman midfielder Fionna Connolly (Salem, OR) tacked on the second score of the contest with a goal off of a through ball from senior forward Erica Jahn (Davis, CA) while sophomore defender Chelsea Hafley (Redlands, CA) secured the victory at the 85-minute mark from a shot driven well outside of the box, marking the third time she has found the back of the net this season.
The Bulldogs outshot the visiting Leopards by a 26-9 margin and received seven corner kicks to La Verne's three.
With Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges advancing on penalty kicks (3-2) after a 0-0 tie against Cal Lutheran University in the first semifinal round game, Redlands (14-4-1, 9-3 SCIAC) will host the Athenas on Saturday, Nov. 8 at a time to be determined. The winner of the match on Saturday will get the SCIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.
The University of Redlands men's soccer team lived to play another day as it squeaked past Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges in double overtime by a score of 1-0 in the semifinal round of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Postseason Tournament on Thursday at Farquhar Field.
With a large crowd on hand, the two teams faced off in an epic battle that served as just another chapter in the rivalry between both schools, and the hard-fought defensive battle kept everyone in attendance on the edge of their seats.
Just 1:33 into the second overtime period, junior midfielder Cale Rodriguez (Norwalk, CA) took a corner from the left side of the goal, which marked the eighth occasion that the Bulldogs had a corner kick opportunity. He hooked a ball into the box, and junior midfielder Nick Gundersen (Park City, UT) emerged out of a crowd and put a head on the ball. Gundersen's shot sailed past Stag goalkeeper Ryan Fahey, and the goal effectively ended the game and kept NCAA playoff hopes alive for Redlands.
Junior goalkeeper Evan Hobson (San Diego, CA) posted the shutout, saving four shots on the evening. The Gundersen goal spoiled an otherwise spectacular night for Fahey in goal as the junior keeper notched nine saves.
The Bulldogs held the shot advantage as the team uncorked 22 attempts to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps' 10.
Redlands (15-4-3, 12-0-2 SCIAC) squares off against Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Saturday in the SCIAC Postseason Tournament final at Farquhar Field at 7:30 p.m. The winner of the match will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.
The University of Redlands football team continues to inch its way back up the America Football Coaches Association (AFCA) national poll by landing at No. 22 this week, improving two spots from last week.
On Saturday, the Bulldogs captured an impressive 52-14 victory over Pomona-Pitzer Colleges. In the win, Redlands put together a balanced attack that included equal yardage on the ground and in the air. T
he team utilized three quarterbacks and looked to a variety of ball carriers and receivers. The third-ranked rush defense continued to impress and allowed only 12 yards on the ground for the Sagehens. Leading the nation in tackles for a loss, the Bulldogs posted 14 TFL of 88 yards against Pomona-Pitzer.
Redlands (6-1, 4-1 SCIAC) returns to Ted Runner Stadium for its final two games of the regular season, hosting regional rival Chapman University on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs' finale brings Cal Lutheran University to Redlands on November 15 for a 1 p.m. kick-off.
The 23rd-ranked University of Redlands men's soccer team used its potent offense to lift itself over conference rival Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges by a 3-2 final on Saturday in Claremont.
With the win, the Bulldogs ensured a third meeting between the two teams in the first round of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Postseason Tournament on Thursday. Redlands has had the upper hand in the series thus far this year as the maroon and gray has won both matches by scores of 2-0 and 3-2.
The Stags struck first when Tomislav Zbozinek netted a goal in the 43rd minute, giving the home team a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
Momentum returned to Redlands' favor in the 47th minute as senior midfielder Bryan Fakkema (Oak Harbor, WA) scored the equalizing goal on a penalty kick.
Mitchell Nguyentat fired a Kevin Festini pass to the back of the net just two minutes later, and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps regained the lead 2-1.
Amidst brief periods of rain, both teams were unable to make a move offensively for nearly 20 minutes until junior midfielder Nick Gundersen (Park City, UT) headed in a goal off of a touch from senior forward Ross Schunk (Portland, OR).
With less than five minutes left to play, Gundersen tallied his second goal of the match when he pounded a cross by senior midfielder Steve Chenes (Las Vegas, NV) home for the game-winning score.
Redlands (14-4-2, 12-0-2 SCIAC) hosts the semifinal round of the SCIAC Postseason Tournament on Thursday and squares off against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 7:30 p.m. on Farquhar Field. The winner of the SCIAC Postseason Tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.
The University of Redlands women's soccer team paid tribute to its four seniors in the grandest way possible, winning the 2008 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship with a 1-0 victory over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges.
Prior to the start of the match, the team recognized senior forward Erica Jahn (Davis, CA), senior midfielder Steffany Becker (Las Vegas, NV), senior midfielder Becky Willis (Escondido, CA) and senior midfielder Lauren Matta (Holyoke, MA) for their years of service to the Bulldog women's soccer team.
Two seniors combined to generate the match's lone goal as Willis scored in the 23rd minute off of a long pass by Jahn. That score was enough to lift Redlands to its fourth-ever SCIAC title and its second in three years.
Junior goalkeeper Tenley Rawlings (Salt Lake City, UT) kept a clean sheet between the pipes, stopping all four shots on frame.
The Bulldogs held the shot advantage 18-11 and outchanced the Athenas on corner kicks as well (3-2).
Coming into the match, the team needed at least a tie to claim the title outright. A loss would have resulted in a shared title with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
Head Coach Suzette Soboti, who is now in her 11th year at the helm of the squad, has coached all four SCIAC-champion Bulldog teams.
Redlands (13-4-1, 9-3 SCIAC) hosts the semifinal games of the SCIAC Postseason Tournament on Wednesday, and the maroon and gray will play in the second of two games against the No. 4 seed, the University of La Verne. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. at Farquhar Field. The winner of the SCIAC Postseason Tournament receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.
