Notebook : CLU Women Start Off on Right Foot in Soccer

Answer: The only squad in Cal Lutheran history to never lose a game.

Question: What is the women’s soccer team?

That is also what many Cal Lutheran fans were asking before the women’s soccer team beat Claremont-Mudd, 2-1, Thursday in its initial game. The women will put their perfect record on the line today at La Verne.

“I feel like we’ve made history,” said freshman Vanessa Martin, who scored both goals against Claremont-Mudd. “I feel proud. I feel proud of everybody. We didn’t really expect to play as well as we did. We proved a lot to a lot of people.”

Playing at home in front of a large crowd, Cal Lutheran took a 2-1 lead midway through the second half and held on for the victory.

“We just stuck to simple, basic tactics,” sophomore goalkeeper Kara Lamb said. “I think there’s a lot of interest here because it’s a novelty sport.”

Men in uniform: Reggie Williams and Bill McDonald have returned to the Cal State Northridge football team after temporarily leaving last week because of undisclosed “personal reasons.”

Williams, a three-year starter at cornerback, will play in tonight’s game against Sonoma State. McDonald, a starter at safety last season, will suit up but won’t play until next week.

Set back: Carlos Adley, a former starter at nose tackle for Cal State Fullerton, has failed in his attempt to join the Northridge football team. Adley earned his Associate of Arts degree by receiving passing grades in three summer school classes, but one of his grades was not high enough to push his overall grade-point average over the NCAA’s minimum requirement.

Adley will attend classes on a part-time basis this year and plans to play for the Matadors next season.

Running on empty: The Occidental soccer team gave an almost flawless defensive effort during the Azusa Pacific tournament last weekend.

The Tigers held Azusa Pacific and Loyola Marymount to one goal each.

“With all the freshmen and transfers we have, I was not unhappy that we held those teams to one goal each,” Occidental Coach Lowell Thomas said.

Now if the Tigers can score a few--they lost both games, 1-0--they should do all right when they open conference play Monday against La Verne.

Independent days: Northridge coaches can only speculate about the conferences their teams might eventually compete in after moving to Division I.

Ker, however, does not foresee an announcement forthcoming any time soon.

“My own mentality says, ‘Be ready to play as an independent,’ ” Ker said. “I’m starting my scheduling for next year with that in mind.

“The advantage is I can pick and choose more in scheduling--and I think everyone will be chomping at the bit to schedule us early because everyone thinks they can get the new kid on the block.

“The disadvantage is you have to make commitments for all of your matches, whereas a conference provides you with those. Getting matches late in the season can be difficult.”

In the tank: The Occidental men’s water polo team will open its season today against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with seven freshmen on the 14-player roster.

Senior John Reinecke, a second-team All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection last season, and junior Scott Holdsworth are the team’s top returning players. Reinecke and Holdsworth are both All-American swimmers.

“We’re inexperienced,” said Tom Schmidt, who is in his fifth year as coach of the Tigers, “but we’re playing a schedule that should make us competitive in conference.”

Occidental was 15-9 overall, 7-3 in conference play last season.

In memory: Cal Lutheran football players will wear a black number 84 on their helmets to commemorate teammate Carlton Hines, who died in an auto accident during the summer.

Hines, a wide receiver, wore number 84 and would have been a senior. He transferred to Cal Lutheran from Moorpark College and attended Kennedy High.

Gary Klein and staff writers Mike Hiserman and Brendan Healey contributed to this notebook.