USD’s Noriega Advances to Clay Court Title Match

Jose Luis Noriega, a sophomore at the University of San Diego, advanced to today’s championship final of the National Intercollegiate Clay Court Championships on Hilton Head Island, S.C. with two victories Saturday.

Noriega defeated unseeded Jeff Chiang of Columbia, 6-2, 6-2, in the quarterfinals and then beat top-seeded Al Parker of Georgia, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).

Noriega, seeded fourth, will play No. 5 Steve Bryan of Texas in today’s final.

CROSS-COUNTRY

Mike Fox (24:47) finished 15th to lead UC San Diego’s men’s team to a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Division III championships at Rock Island, Ill. Wisconsin Oshkosh (55) was first.

In the women’s race, UCSD’s Michelle Conlay (17:58) qualified for All-American status by finishing 15th as the Tritons (303) finished 12th. Portland State (N.Y.) won with 30 points.

The Point Loma Nazarene men’s team, led by Goshu Tadese (41st), finished 13th at the NAIA national championships in Kenosha, Wis.

It was Point Loma Nazarene’s second-highest finish, behind a 12th in 1985. Adams State (Colo.) won the national championship, its seventh in a row, with 39 points.

Tadese, running in 17-degree weather with two inches of snow on the ground, was clocked in 26:07. Sean O’Hara finished 69th in 26:35. There were 343 runners.

PLNC’s lone women’s entrant, Anette Ronnerman, finished 132nd out of 329.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Jennifer Miller had 20 kills as visiting San Diego State defeated San Jose State, 15-10, 9-15, 15-6, 10-15, 15-13, in a Big West Conference match.

Angela Martin added 14 kills for SDSU (18-17, 8-10). San Jose State is 14-12, 7-11.

Katie Hunsaker had 16 kills as Santa Clara defeated U.S. International, 15-2, 15-12, 15-9, in a nonconference match that closed out the season for host USIU (4-17). April Devine had nine kills for the Gulls. Santa Clara is 9-19.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Christian Heritage set a school record with 13 three-point shots during a 91-89 victory over host Cal State Stanislaus in a nonconference game.

Christian Heritage (1-0) trailed, 73-63, with 8:19 to play, but Rundy Foster, in foul trouble, came off the bench and connected on five consecutive shots, including four three-pointers. Foster’s streak was part of six consecutive three-pointers by Christian Heritage. Foster and Brad Soucie scored 27 points apiece for Christian Heritage.

Tom Shawcroft had 23 points, but host UC San Diego was defeated by the Australian Institute of Sport, 85-75, in a season-opening exhibition game. Tim Rapp and Gordon McNeill each had 15 points for UCSD, which opens its regular season Tuesday at home against Whittier.

Six players scored in double figures as Point Loma Nazarene ran away from Dominican College, 111-67, in a nonconference game at Point Loma Nazarene.

Ron Hubbard scored 19 points, Brian Thurston had 18, Mike Flores 16, Tim Foley 14, John Greer 13 and James Kinzler 10 for Point Loma Nazarene (1-0).