Bruins Leading by One in Women’s Golf Finals

UCLA took a one-stroke lead over top-ranked Duke in the NCAA women’s golf championship at Opelika, Ala., on Wednesday, shooting a five-under 283 in the rain-delayed second round.

Only 12 of the 24 teams completed the round on Grand National’s Lake Course, with UCLA leading the finishers with a 572 total. Vanderbilt was 10 strokes back at 582, followed by California (591), USC (593) and Stanford (599).

UCLA’s Susie Mathews shot a season-best three-under 69 to lead the finishers at four-under 140.

The Bruins also got solid performances from Charlotte Mayorkas (143) and Gina Umeck (143).

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The UCLA men’s golf team begins the NCAA West Regional tournament as the top-seeded team as first-round play begins today at Crosswater Golf Course in Sunriver, Ore.

Arizona State and Arizona, the Pacific 10 Conference champion, are seeded second and third respectively. The top 10 teams plus the top two individuals not attached to a qualifying team will advance to the NCAA championships in Hot Springs, Va.

USC, the fourth-seeded team, is also competing along with Long Beach State, UC Riverside, UC Irvine and Pepperdine.

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USC and UCLA will meet for the third time this season in the round of 16 at the NCAA women’s tennis championships today at Athens, Ga.

USC (18-6) won both meetings, recording a 4-3 victory at home Jan. 30 and winning 5-2 at the Los Angeles Tennis Center March 3.

The Trojans defeated American and Arizona to reach the third round for the fifth time in six years.

UCLA (18-7) advanced with wins over Long Beach State and Pepperdine.

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Long Beach State women’s tennis coach Jenny Hilt-Costello was chosen West Region coach of the year by Wilson and the Intercollegiate Tennis Assn. Hilt-Costello, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in January, led the 49ers to an 18-9 record and a Big West Conference championship.

-- Eric Stephens