SPORTSCOPE : Bruins, Waves Will Compete in NCAA Volleyball Playoffs

The top-ranked UCLA women’s volleyball team and No. 11 Pepperdine will play first-round matches in the NCAA playoffs Saturday. UCLA (31-1) will play host to Gonzaga (25-6) at 7 p.m. at the John Wooden Center and Pepperdine (25-5) will meet No. 14 New Mexico (21-6) at 6 p.m. in Albuquerque, N.M.

The Bruins, winners of 28 consecutive matches and three Pacific 10 Conference championships in a row, will be making their 10th NCAA appearance. This will be the first trip to the NCAAs for Gonzaga, which finished second in the West Coast Conference behind Pepperdine.

The Waves, who have won 11 consecutive matches, lost to New Mexico, 20-18, 15-11, 15-8, in the only meeting this season in the title match of a tournament in Albuquerque in September. The Lobos finished second to champion Brigham Young University in the Western Athletic Conference.

UCLA closed out the regular season by defeating Illinois in three games and No. 5 Pacific in five games in a tournament last week in Stockton. UCLA’s Natalie Williams was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Other Bruins named to the all-tournament team were Samantha Shaver, Jenny Evans and Marissa Hatchett.

Williams, who was also named Pac-10 player of the week for a fourth time this season, leads the Bruins with 529 kills. Hatchett has a team-high 220 blocks, including 52 solos. Shaver has 445 digs, which breaks the school season record of 443 set by Liz Masakayan in 1985.

Pepperdine is making its eighth NCAA appearance but has yet to win a first-round match, which have all been on the road. Wave leaders are Blair Noonan with 352 kills, Carolyn Hueth with 374 digs and Lesli Asplund with 133 blocks.

The UCLA men’s soccer team (17-1-3) will meet North Carolina State (17-4-1) at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and Rutgers (19-2-2) will face Evansville (24-0-2) at 10 a.m. Saturday in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament at Tampa, Fla. The championship match is at 10 a.m. Sunday.

On Sunday, the Bruins extended their unbeaten streak at home to 39 matches, defeating Southern Methodist, 2-0, in the NCAA West Regional title match. Goals were scored by Chris Henderson and Billy Thompson. Bruin freshman goalkeeper Brad Friedel had a season-high seven saves.

A strong field is entered in the 28th annual St. Monica High basketball tournament, which will be held today through Saturday at the school, 1030 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica.

Today’s first-round games: Fairfax vs. Crossroads at 3:15 p.m., Culver City vs. Cleveland at 5, Santa Monica vs. Palisades at 6:30 and Westlake vs. St. Monica at 8:15.

On Friday, games will be from 3:15 p.m. through 8:15. Sunday games will begin at 4:30 p.m. and end with the championship game at 8. General admission is $4 and tickets for students with identification and children under 12 are $2.

The Pepperdine women’s basketball team (1-1 as the week began) will play host to Southwest Missouri State (2-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Firestone Fieldhouse.

The Waves will play UCLA at 7 p.m. Monday at Pauley Pavilion and play host to Cal State Fullerton at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

In a tournament last week in Atlanta, the Waves lost in the opening round to East Tennessee State, 101-88, but won the consolation title, defeating North Carolina Wilmington, 76-68.

Kelsey Kline is averaging 14.5 points a game and leads four other Waves who are in double figures: Shannon Frowiss (14), Aimee McDaniel (13.5), Sharon Wilson (12.5) and Shannon Liber (12).

In its own tournament last weekend, Southwest Missouri State defeated Jackson State, 71-42, and Florida State, 68-63. The Bears are led by Lawaynta Dawson, who leads the team with averages of 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, and Secelia Winkfield, averaging 12.5 points.

The UCLA women’s basketball team (0-2 as the week began) will play host to Notre Dame (1-0) at 7 p.m. Friday and Pepperdine at 7 p.m. Monday at Pauley Pavilion.

Last week the Bruins were beaten twice in the Amana-Hawkeye Classic, losing to Iowa, 81-52, and to Kansas, 76-63. UCLA’s Rehema Stevens, who was named to the all-tournament team, scored 14 points against Iowa and 19 against Kansas. Nicole Young had career-high marks of 15 points and eight rebounds against Kansas.

The West Los Angeles College men’s basketball team will play host to Los Angeles Trade Tech at 7 p.m. Friday at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Culver City.

In last week’s Chaffey College tournament, the Oilers (3-3) beat the Cal State San Bernardino junior varsity, 100-75, and Barstow, 102-79, but lost in the championship game to Chaffey, 97-80.

WLAC’s Booker Waugh and Keith London were named to the all-tournament team. Waugh scored a career-high 42 points against the San Bernardino junior varsity and broke career records with nine three-point baskets and 56% shooting (nine for 16) from three-point range. For the tournament, Waugh scored 99 points and London had 40 points and 40 rebounds, including 20 rebounds against Chaffey.