SportsScope : Top Cyclists Enter 9th Turkey Climb

The Swatch Turkey Climb, the ninth one-mile bicycle race against time up steep Mountaingate Drive above Brentwood and Bel-Air, will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Sunday starting at Mountaingate and Sepulveda Boulevard.

The event, sanctioned by the U. S. Cycling Federation, consists of time trials up grades as steep as one foot of climb for every five feet of distance, or 20%. It is open to cyclists in several categories of age, gender and skill. There is no admission charge.

Proceeds from entry fees, of $6 for federation-licensed riders and $4 for others, will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. More information may be obtained by telephoning the promoters, the Accord Cycle Group Ltd. and the Quick Release Bicycling Club, during the day at (213) 650-0060.

Among the entries are world-class competitors David Lettieri of Playa del Rey and Michele Veasey of San Diego, both members of the U.S. national team.

The men’s record of 4:14.2 is held by Tomas Rodriquez of Torrance and the women’s top mark of 5:46.6 by Ruth Matthes of Laguna Beach.

The Santa Monica College women’s cross-country team, which won the Western State Conference championship last weekend, and one runner from the SMC men’s team will compete in the Southern California championships Friday at Guajome Park in Mira Costa.

The men’s race starts at 2 p.m. and the women’s at 3.

The Lady Corsairs placed five runners in the first 13 at the WSC meet. SMC’s Midge Arteaga finished first, setting a course record of 17:42 over the three-mile route at Pierce College. Her teammate Pat Story was second in 17:53, and SMC runner Patty Almendariz was fourth in 18:11. Each broke the old record of 18:26.

The SMC men finished ninth in the conference meet and were without top freshman Alfredo Perez, who was ill. But Dave Wallace finished 11th in a personal best time of 20:40 over four miles and qualified for Friday’s championships.

The UCLA men’s soccer team, defending NCAA champion and 13-0-5 as the week began, will finish the regular season at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Cal State Los Angeles.

Last week the Bruins defeated second-ranked Duke, 3-0, to win the second annual Metropolitan Life Pacific Classic and extended their record unbeaten streak to 36 games. Freshman Ray Fernandez scored two goals to lead UCLA against Duke, and sophomore teammate Nick Skvarna got the other.

Bruin All-American defender Paul Caligiuri was named the defensive player of the tournament, and named to the all-tourney team for UCLA were defender Eric Biefeld and striker Jeff Hooker.

The seventh-ranked UCLA women’s volleyball team, tied for the Pac-10 Conference lead with Stanford, will play conference matches against Oregon State at 7:30 p.m. Friday and with Oregon at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at John Wooden Center on campus.

UCLA will also play host to non-league foe Pepperdine at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Pauley Pavilion.

In last week’s action, the Lady Bruins defeated USC and Arizona State, each in three games, and won a four-game match against Arizona to raise their overall record to 24-7 and 12-1 in the Pac-10. Oregon State is 5-19 and 1-12, Oregon 17-9 and 9-4.

Sharyl Bilas, UCLA sophomore middle blocker, was named the conference player of the week. In three matches last week, Bilas recorded 36 kills, 23 digs and eight blocks, including career-best marks of 23 kills and a .548 hitting percentage against Arizona.

The No. 17 Pepperdine’s women’s volleyball team, 15-11 overall and 7-1 in the West Coast Athletic Conference at the start of the week, will be on the road for non-conference matches at No. 18 Texas A&M; on Friday and at No. 8 Texas on Saturday.

Last week the Waves won three-game conference matches against USF and Santa Clara.

For the season, junior outside hitter Julie Evans leads Pepperdine with 427 kills, 36 service aces and 225 digs, while Wave junior setter Lee Hoven tops the team with a .326 hitting percentage.

The Loyola Marymount women’s volleyball team, 19-6 overall and 7-1 in the West Coast Athletic Conference as the week began, will play host to Athletes in Action in an exhibition at 7:30 tonight at Gersten Pavilion.

Last week Loyola downed USF in three games and took five games to defeat Santa Clara in WCAC matches.

Senior setter Andrea Fort of Westminster had 74 assists in the two matches, including 30 against USF. Cathy Petrissans had 19 kills for the Lions last week, and teammates Tiffany Miller and Leslie had 18 apiece.

The women’s volleyball team from West Los Angeles College, which lost its opener to Mount San Jacinto in three games, will be at Ventura College at 7 tonight and then play host to Ventura at 3:45 p.m. Monday at Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Overland Avenue at Culver Boulevard, Culver City.

WLAC’s Suzanne Verret was a bright spot against Mount San Jacinto. She scored seven straight points on her serves in the second game.

The Pepperdine water polo team, 19-7 overall and 9-0 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn., will play host to conference foe UC Santa Barbara at 3 p.m. Friday at Raleigh Runnels Pool and be at USC for a non-league game at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Last week the Waves lost to top-ranked Stanford, 11-8, but defeated Cal State Fullerton, 9-5.

Top scorers for the Waves this season are Sasa Poljak with 66 goals and Pero Asic with 57. Poljak leads the team in steals with 23, and Asic is the top assist man with 32.

The Loyola Marymount water polo team, 18-7 overall, will play host to Cal State Fullerton at noon Saturday and to Cal State Los Angeles at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Loyola pool.

Last week the Lions finished second in the Air Force Academy Tournament, losing, 22-6, to the Falcons but defeating Colorado, 14-7, and Brigham Young, 9-8.

Senior David Urich leads the Lions with 85 goals and 24 assists.

The Santa Monica College football team, which won its first Western State Conference game last week with a 38-28 decision over Allan Hancock, will play host to Moorpark at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Corsair Field.

The Corsairs are 4-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play. Moorpark is 4-3 and 3-1.

In the win over Hancock, freshman wide receiver Demetrius (Pee Wee) Smith scored three touchdowns and was named the conference player of the week. Two were on pass plays from quarterback Kevin Bray, one an 80-yarder and another for 97 yards, and the third on a 14-yard reverse.

Sophomore Bray has thrown for 2,865 yards in two seasons, putting him second on the SMC career passing list. He trails Angelo Gasca (1978-79), who finished with 3,071 yards.

The UCLA women’s swim team, which won its second meet of the season last week by defeating the Mission Viejo Swim Team, 50-41, will entertain Arizona State at 1 p.m. Friday at UCLA’s Sunset Canyon Recreation Center.

UCLA’s Rhonda von Soosten was a double winner against Mission Viejo, taking the 50 freestyle in 27.38 and the 100 free in 1:00.42.

The UCLA women’s cross-country team, which finished second to Oregon in the Pac-10 Conference championships last Monday, and the Bruin men, who placed sixth in the conference, will try to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the District 8 NCAA Meet on Nov. 15 at Fresno State.

UCLA freshman Laurie Chapman finished second at the conference meet in individual competition in 16:56. Other top UCLA performers: Kathy Kiernan, 15th in 17:51; Laura Chapel, 17th in 17:54, and Annie Seawright, 18th in 17:56.

Mark Junkermann finished seventh individually to top the UCLA men, and other Bruins who did well were Tom Grewe, 21st, and Greg Hauser, 28th.

The Pepperdine men’s basketball team will play an intrasquad game at 7:30 tonight at Ventura College. Three Waves played prep ball in Ventura County: Craig Davis at Hueneme, Jim Harrick at Newbury Park and Marty Wilson at Simi Valley.

Pool play in the 17th annual Los Angeles City girls high school volleyball playoffs will be held Saturday at Hamilton High School, 2955 Robertson Blvd. Matches begin at 8:30 a.m.