Party for Bush at Loyola No Fun for the Athletes Or the Coaching Staff

Things were hectic around Gersten Pavilion at Loyola Marymount University the last two days, but it had little to do with the sports currently in season or the start of basketball practice Saturday.

The reason for all the hubbub was the presidential debate Thursday at UCLA and the Bush camp’s post-debate party in Gersten Pavilion. Bush supporters were also in Gersten during the debate, watching on wide screens set up that day.

That may be a prestigious occasion for Loyola and some fun for those involved in the campaign, but it was no fun for the athletic staff and athletes at Loyola.

While the volleyball team used the gym for practice and team photos were being set up for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, the Secret Service was sealing off Gersten Pavilion, and even coaches and athletic administrators whose offices are in the building were asked to leave by mid-afternoon Thursday.

Also in jeopardy was Thursday’s Loyola-UCLA soccer game, scheduled at UCLA. Since UCLA was also a high-security area, the schools spent much of the week trying to get the game transferred; then it was nearly canceled before it ended up back at UCLA, with virtually no spectators allowed.

The school did get some cable television hookups in the deal, paid for by the Bush committee. The other bright spot is that this happens only every four years.

The men’s soccer race is heating up in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. where Cal State Dominguez Hills’ 3-2 victory over first-place Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on Wednesday helped create a 3-way tie for second. The Toros, Cal State Northridge and Cal State Bakersfield are 2-1 in the CCAA, a half-game behind Cal Poly SLO (3-1-1).

The Toros knocked off Cal Poly on a penalty kick by junior Martin Mira. Robert Enriquez and Shawn Simmons also scored. The Toros play a men’s-women’s double-header Saturday against last place Chapman (0-4), giving them a good chance to keep the heat on when they visit Bakersfield on Wednesday. Bakersfield had never won a CCAA game before this season but got off to a 2-0 start last week. However, Northridge beat the Roadrunners on Wednesday, 3-0, to tighten the race. Saturday’s game begins at 1 p.m.

The Toros, 8-4 overall, continue to be one of the CCAA’s top scoring teams, led by Willie Ayala with 9 goals and 1 assist for 19 points, Joe Flanagan (6 goals, 4 assists, 16 points) and Enriquez (4 goals, 5 assists, 13 points).

Saturday’s double-header begins at 11 a.m. with the women (5-6-1) playing their last home game. Junior Rhonda McVicar, who had a 3-goal game against Westmont College, has scored 8 goals in the last 6 games. Both McVicar and Lynor Johnson have 19 points.

The first college basketball previews on the newsstands, Inside Sports and Basketball Digest Annual, go with the front-runners, picking Loyola Marymount to defend its West Coast Athletic Conference title. A year ago, preseason forecasts ran the gamut, picking Loyola everywhere from first to last in the WCAC. The magazine that picked Loyola eighth in the 8-team conference prompted Coach Paul Westhead to remark: “If we’re the eighth-best team in our conference, it’s going to be a pretty strong conference.” Westhead judged his talent better than the previewers judged the future a year ago--his team went undefeated in the WCAC and made the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Loyola Marymount will hold its only home meet of the cross-country season Saturday when the Lions run against Pepperdine, the University of San Diego and Mt. St. Mary’s in men’s and women’s competition. The men will run an 8-kilometer course starting at 9:30 a.m., with the women running 5 kilometers at 10:15. The courses are around Loyola’s Westchester campus.

Both Lions teams ran in the Northridge Invitational last weekend. Rob Schlegel was the top Lion finisher, placing 31st in 32:17, while Sarah Shogren ran 28th for the women in 24:41.

Different Strokes Department: Before the Dodgers-Mets seventh game showdown, broadcaster Vin Scully said: “This is what it’s all about.” Sportscaster Stu Nahan said: “This is what it’s all about.” Sportscaster Vic (the Brick) Jacobs said: “This is what it’s all about.”

And a week ago, Loyola Marymount baseball assistant coach Dave Kato surveyed the first day of fall practice and told Loyola sports publicist Barry Zepel: “This is what it’s all about.”

College Notes

Loyola’s Leslie Wohlford is ranked 20th in kill average at 4.41 per game in the latest NCAA volleyball statistics . . . In the West Coast Athletic Conference, where Loyola is in third place at 2-1, Wohlford is the leader in kill average and freshman Dawn Moon is fifth in hitting percentage (.266). . . Santa Clara sophomore Julie Jamile from Torrance leads the WCAC in assists at 10.7 per game . . . Dominguez Hills freshman Pat Fitzgerald’s first collegiate soccer goal was a big one--it came in overtime to beat Cal Poly Pomona, 3-2, last week . . . Loyola’s soccer team, which figures to take its lumps playing the likes of USC on Saturday and USF on Monday, picked up a victory the easy way this week when a season-opening 2-0 loss to Azusa Pacific was reversed. Azusa Pacific forfeited because an ineligible player was used . . . Cal Poly San Luis Obispo defensive end Tom Carey has 31 tackles for a loss of 87 yards going into Saturday’s game against Cal Lutheran. The former Miraleste High star leads the Mustangs with 7 sacks.