COLLEGE DIVISION NOTEBOOK : Christ College Back in Contention

After struggling the first part of the season, the Christ College Irvine women’s volleyball team has apparently left its futility behind and now has a chance of making the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics District 3 playoffs for the first time since 1988.

When Christ College Irvine defeated Southern California College in three games Tuesday, it was only the Eagles’ second victory in 10 matches in the Golden State Athletic Conference. But it was indicative of an upward trend.

“We’ve really been coming on strong,” CCI Coach Mary Holl said. “I’ve been really pleased with the second half of our season.”

After losing their first six conference matches, the Eagles (10-18) defeated defending champion Point Loma Nazarene Oct. 12 for the first time in CCI history. They then lost to Azusa Pacific, ranked No. 7 in the nation, in three games Friday, but forced No. 3 Fresno Pacific to four games, Saturday.

The Eagles’ resurgence has been led by senior Miriam Paulus and an improved defense, Holl said. The team is stronger since adjusting the lineup to keep three taller players on the front line at all times. Setters Jeanette Robles-Gil (5 feet 0) and Heidi Keilholz (5-4) now switch off on the back row.

Paulus, a 6-2 middle blocker who was a first-team all-conference and all-district selection last season, ranks second in the district in attacking percentage (.323) with 276 kills.

“When we can play defense and get the ball to her, we are very difficult to stop,” Holl said. “She’s not only playing hard but she’s playing smart.”

To have any shot at the two remaining playoff spots, CCI must finish fourth in the conference by winning its final two conference matches and hoping the teams ahead of it--Southern California College (3-7), Cal Baptist (2-6) and Point Loma (2-6)--falter.

CCI plays Westmont (16-5, 6-2) Friday in Santa Barbara. Westmont has been ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation most of the season, but this week dropped to No. 26.

Wait up: Southern California College volleyball Coach Becky Pines hasn’t yet conceded the loss to Christ College Tuesday. Pines is attempting to file a protest because of an official’s ruling that Pines says cost the Vanguards the first game in the 15-12, 15-13, 15-11 decision.

Trailing, 14-12, setter Julie Jones made a block for an apparent sideout but the official ruled Jones illegally moved up from the back row to make the block and awarded CCI the point and the game.

Pines said Jones was, in fact, playing on the front row. If the protest is successful, Pines said, the match would continue from that point.

The Vanguards started the season 14-4, but have only won two of their past eight matches.

There have been moments, however. Saturday, SCC defeated Azusa Pacific, 15-9, in the first game, before losing the next three. During the match, outside hitter Simone Burgesmeir sprained her ankle and middle blocker Caran Holland suffered a concussion from an elbow to the head. Neither player played against Christ College.

Despite the frustrations, Pines said, the Vanguards, who play at Westmont Saturday, should still make the playoffs.

“I think we can get in there with the fifth or sixth playoff spot,” Pines said. “It’s been weird injuries and weird things like a self-admitted horrible call by a referee . . .”

Re-ranked: The Chapman women’s volleyball team returned to the NCAA Division II rankings at No. 18 when the latest poll was released Wednesday. The Panthers were ranked No. 11 in the NCAA’s first poll of the season but after a poor performance at a tournament in Texas, they were dropped from the poll the second week.

But Chapman has played well since, losing only to No. 7 UC Riverside. The Panthers (16-9, 4-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn.) are in third place in the conference behind Riverside and No. 4 Cal State Bakersfield.

Chapman plays host to Cal State Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Hutton Center and then Tuesday, the Panthers play host to Bakersfield (13-7, 4-0).

The Chapman men’s soccer team came close to upsetting Cal State Bakersfield Saturday before settling for a 3-3 tie in overtime. Freshman Eddie Soto, the Panthers’ leading scorer, scored two goals.

“I thought we had the better chances to win the game, but even the tie is, in my mind, the biggest result we’ve had here in about four years,” Chapman Coach Gregg Murphy said. “We were on the verge of taking it from them.”

College Division Notes

Greg Olson, a Southern California College men’s soccer player, had two goals and two assists in the Vanguards’ victories over Cal Baptist and Point Loma Nazarene last week and was named Golden State Athletic Conference player of the week. . . . The Pacific Christian women’s volleyball team is raising funds for its trip to the National Christian College Athletic Assn. Division II championships Oct. 31-Nov. 2 in Watertown, Wis. Pacific Christian (25-3) advanced to the championships by winning the NCCAA District 6 title. . . . Mark Junkerman, a former Los Alamitos High distance runner, won the men’s race at CCI’s Eagle 5000 Saturday. Junkerman, who also ran at UCLA and lives in Santa Monica, ran a course-record 14 minutes 36 seconds for 5K. Kathleen Smith of Irvine won the women’s race in 16:27. CCI raised more than $20,000 for the school’s library at the event.