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.

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.

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.

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.

CAL LUTHERAN (6-2, 4-1) at REDLANDS (7-1, 4-1)

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

Radio: KMET (1490-AM)

About Redlands: The Bulldogs are ranked No. 25 by D3football and No. 21 by the AFCA and need to win to still have a shot at an at-large playoff berth. The Bulldogs rank No. 2 nationally in total defense and No. 1 in sacks for a loss and net punting. Senior DE Brock Arndt, LB Ian Sluss and DB Mike Nicolini head the effort on that side of the ball. Junior QB Steve Smith has progressed each week since taking over for Dan Selway. Zack Schafer is the top rusher in the SCIAC.

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.

LA VERNE (2-6) at CHAPMAN (4-4)

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

About La Verne:  The Leopards have already surpassed their win total of 2007 so another win would be an added bonus. The passing game has been the most consistent part of the offensive attack with junior Anthony Andre at the helm, averaging 163.6 ypg. The defense has been spearheaded by senior LB Jason Carpenter and junior DB Taylor Hart. According to D3football.com the Leos have played the 14^th toughest schedule out of 228 Division III schools.

About Chapman: The Panthers, a Division III independent, are coming off a 21-7 loss at Redlands. They tend to play up to the competition and down as well. They are 3-3 against teams from the SCIAC. The Panthers are averaging 322 yards a game on offense and are giving up 306 per game. They prefer to throw the ball with senior QB Eric Marty directing the offense. Daniel Hartigan and Chino product Garrett Earls lead the defense.

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 Whittier last week. D.J. Lillard ranks third in the conference in rushing and is coming off a 113-yard effort against the Poets. Senior DB Brock Olson leads the SCIAC in interceptions (6) and senior LB Ashton Clarke ranks second in tackles. CMS has 15 interceptions as a team, tied for first with Redlands.

CHAFFEY (5-4, 2-3) at MT. SAC (8-1, 4-1)

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 Mt. SAC: The Mounties fell from No. 1 to 3 in Southern California after losing to Cerritos last week 44-38. They can clinch the Central Conference with a win. Freshman Nick Lamaison (2,631 yards, 29 TDs)  is the catalyst of an offense that averages 428.7 yards a game.  Other key players are WRs Jesse Canada and Matt Austin and RB Iosefa Burton. Sophomore DB Dominique Gaisie, of San Beranrdino, and sophomore LB Alfred Rowe lead the defense.

VICTOR VALLEY (3-6, 3-3) at MT. SAN JACINTO (2-7, 1-5)

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

About Victor: The Rams snapped a three-game losing streak with a 39-17 win over Compton. They have gotten solid play out of freshman QB O'Ryan Bradley who averages 236 yards a game passing. The Rams are down to five healthy linemen however. Victor Valley's biggest struggle has come in the secondary and it will be facing a team that averages 212 yards a game through the air.

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.

SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY (0-9, 0-7) at L.A. HARBOR (2-7, 1-5)

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.

Staff Writer

The University of Redlands football team is hoping to get one more shot at Occidental, the only team it has lost to this season.

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. Redlands will host the Kingsmen at 1 p.m. Saturday at Ted Runner Stadium in the regular season finale for both teams.

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 Redlands, ranked sixth in the West, a bid and send it to Occidental.

Redlands moved back in the D3football rankings at No. 25 and is No. 21 according to the American Football Coaches Association.

``Obviously we have to win this game or it doesn't matter,'' Redlands coach Mike Maynard said. ``Assuming we do, I think it's better than 50-50 that we get in. But you never know. The SCIAC hasn't been looked on favorably and that is working against us. If we win this one I think we're worthy.''

Spectators taking in today's contest shouldn't expect a lot of scoring. Redlands ranks second nationally in total defense (214.8) while Cal Lutheran is ranked fourth (236.8). Redlands is first in tackles for loss, fourth against the run and sixth against the pass while Cal Lutheran is first in passing defense, seventh in sacks and seventh in tackles for loss.

 Redlands also ranks first in net punting.

Both teams lost to Occidental with Redlands losing 28-15 on Oct. 11 and Cal Lutheran losing 24-21 two weeks ago. The Kingsmen also lost to unbeaten Willamette, ranked first in the region and 10^th nationally.

``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.''

Redlands is coming off a 21-7 nonconference win over Chapman. It only led 14-7 and Chapman was in the red zone late in the fourth when the Bulldogs made a defensive stand. Maynard was pleased to see his team rise to the occasion in a competitive game after three straight blowouts in which his starters were out by halftime.

   ``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.''

Staff Writer

 CLAREMONT - Pomona-Pitzer sophomore Jacob Caron is looking forward to a chance to redeem himself. Last year he threw an interception after driving his team 80 yards to the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 10 with time running out. The Sagehens lost 27-22.

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 Ohio State being able to go 20 yards to play Michigan. It's a big deal for us.''

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 La Verne rounds out the season with a nonconference game at Chapman at 7 p.m. The big clash will be at Redlands where the Bulldogs and Cal Lutheran will square off, with the winner having an outside shot at an at-large playoff spot.

In the community college ranks Chaffey will be at Mt. SAC at 6 p.m. and San Bernardino Valley will be at L.A. Harbor, also at 6 p.m.

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 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.

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

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.