San Diego Roundup : Aztecs to Play Hawaii in PCAA Volleyball Tournament Opener

The San Diego State women’s volleyball team, which tied for fifth place in the Pacific Coast Athletic Association with an 8-8 record and 25-18 overall mark, opens play against third-place Hawaii today in the PCAA’s post-season tournament at University of Pacific.

The 18th-ranked Aztecs’ match against the No. 11 Rainbows (25-9, 10-6) starts this afternoon at 1, opening the eight-team, three-day tournament. Four matches will be played today, with the winners advancing to the semifinals Saturday. The championship match takes place Sunday at 1 p.m.

Favored to win the tournament is the host, Pacific (28-3, 15-1). SDSU, seeded sixth, can enhance its chance of earning a berth in the NCAA tournament with a good showing. Aztec Coach Rudy Suwara said he thinks five teams from the PCAA will qualify for the NCAA tourney.

Bob Duesler of Newport Beach will defend his men’s 45 and older singles title when the 37th annual National Hardcourt Senior Tennis Championships open Monday at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. The tournament will run until Dec. 8.

Duesler, who beat Roger Becker of England, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, in last year’s final, faces a field that includes the 1983 champion, Leslie Dodson of Kalamazoo, Mich., and the 1978 titlist, Cliff Mayne of Lafayette.

Sally Huss of Irvine, the defending champion in the women’s 40 and older division, will also defend her crown. She will be challenged by La Jolla’s Suella Bowden, last year’s runner-up.

Running concurrently with the two singles events will be the National Hardcourt Father and Son Doubles Championships. Defending champions Gil Howard and his son, Mike, will be on hand for the event.