The Colleges : CSUN Volleyball Rotation Going in Circles

The season is almost a month old and Walt Ker, coach of the Cal State Northridge women’s volleyball team, still does not have a set lineup.

Ker, in his 11th season as coach of the Lady Matadors, says that he cannot remember taking so long to make a final decision.

On the final day of the Portland State tournament last Saturday, three freshmen--setter Alison Wool, middle blocker Nancy Nicholls and outside hitter Patty Fitzsimmons--were in the CSUN starting lineup.

“We still beat Regis (Colo.) and played a competitive match against Portland,” Ker said. “It still being this early in the season, I was encouraged a lot. I know they’ll improve a lot.”

Although CSUN lost its match against defending NCAA Division champion Portland State, the Lady Matadors finished with a 3-1 record and won the tournament on the basis of points won.

Ker was particularly impressed with CSUN’s team defense and the continued strong play of junior Marianne Dixon.

Dixon, a second-team All-American as a middle blocker last season, has been moved to the left-side hitting position to bolster the Lady Matadors’ attack.

“The more I see her out there, the more I like her,” Ker said. “Nancy Nicholls has been doing such a nice job in the middle, we could afford to move her outside.” Nicholls is a freshman from Cleveland High.

Keeping up with Jones: Cobi Jones, a midfielder on the UCLA soccer team, set what is believed to be a school record by registering either a goal or an assist in each of the Bruins’ first eight games.

Jones, a graduate of Westlake High, recorded six goals and six assists for UCLA (9-0). The sophomore had his streak snapped Tuesday against UC San Diego, but his 18 points are among the leaders in the NCAA Division I.

“He’s definitely having a better year than we expected,” UCLA Coach Sigi Schmid said. “With the injury to Bill Thompson, our All-American forward, it has really forced Cobi to shoulder a big load. So far he’s been up to the task.”

Jones, a walk-on who has earned a scholarship, worked his way into the Bruins’ starting lineup seven games into last season.

Another Valley-area player, Paul Ratcliffe, a freshman walk-on from Calabasas High, has a goal and three assists this season. He has played in all nine matches, starting twice.

Untimely tune: Seconds after Pomona-Pitzer’s public-address announcer informed spectators that alcoholic beverages were not allowed inside the stadium during the Sagehens’ football game last Saturday against Occidental, the school band struck up the Budweiser theme.

Trading compliments: The best winless team in the NCAA Division II? That would have to be Central (Okla.) State, says Bob Burt, coach at Cal State Northridge.

Northridge defeated Central State, 31-28, last Saturday on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Sherdrick Bonner to Anthony Harris with 11 seconds left. Central State is 0-3-1 but has been outscored by only 11 points.

“That’s the quickest team and one of the best teams talent-wise that we’ve played in the four years I’ve been here,” said Burt, whose team is 2-2. “They haven’t won yet, but I promise you they will.”

Central State’s defense--led by linebacker Keith Traylor, a 6-3, 251-pound transfer from the University of Oklahoma--was particularly impressive. Northridge had only 22 yards rushing in the first half, largely the result of six quarterback sacks.

In the second half, Northridge compiled 138 rushing yards, including 99 by tailback Albert Fann, who drew a rave review from Central State Coach Gary Howard. “He’s a big-time player,” said Howard, who watched Fann run for 137 yards. “I can’t imagine that there are too many guys around better than he is.”

Wrestle-mania: Moorpark College begins its wrestling season Friday night when it plays host to El Camino at 7:30.

Serge Mezheritsky and Carson Wollert, both of whom placed in last season’s state championship meet, are expected to be the Raiders’ top wrestlers. Mezheritsky, who was second in the state at 142 pounds, will wrestle at 150 this season. Wollert will compete in the 190-pound class, in which he finished fourth in the state.

Freshmen to watch include Del Ochoa from Hueneme (118 pounds) and Robby Cook from Rio Mesa (134 pounds).

“We’re going to be very similar to last year,” said Moorpark Coach John Keever, whose team placed fifth in last season’s state meet. “We’ll be a strong tournament team, and dual-meet-wise we’ll be in a battle with every team because we do have some holes.”

Honoring the wounded: Valley placekicker Jim Harper was a preseason All-American selection by the JC Grid-Wire. As a freshman, he converted 12 of 17 field-goal attempts and 28 of 29 extra-point attempts in earning All-Western State Conference honors.

So how is he dealing with success?

Not very well--but through no fault of his own. Harper has been hampered all season by a pulled quadriceps muscle in his right (kicking) leg. He has made only one of three field-goal tries.

In Valley’s 23-0 loss to Moorpark on Saturday, Harper was short from 40 yards, wide left from 40 yards and had another attempt blocked.

“He injured his leg before the first game and he hasn’t kicked in practice since then,” Valley Coach Chuck Ferrero said.

Unfortunately for Ferrero, injured or not, Harper is still the Monarchs’ best kicker.

Steven Fleischman, Gary Klein and staff writers Mike Hiserman, John Ortega and Brendan Healey contributed to this notebook.