Kacharoen, Olivarez Advance in Event

Sakolwan (Tuck) Kacharoen and Eva Olivarez, the second- and third-seeded players in the Rolex-ITCA Southern California Women’s Tennis Championships, advanced to today’s third round after winning two matches. The University of San Diego’s Kacharoen and San Diego State’s Olivarez won both matches in straight sets.

Other local singles winners were USD’s Maddy Diekmann, Julie McKeon and Laura Richards. San Diego-based doubles teams were undefeated for the day as seven teams advanced to the second round.

SIGNINGS

Kris Grizzini, a 6-foot-2 center for the Mt. Carmel High girls’ basketball team, will sign a national letter of intent to attend UC Santa Barbara.

Grizzini averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds last season for the Sundevils. She had narrowed her choices to UCSB, Pacific, New Mexico State, Santa Clara and SDSU.

BASKETBALL

Senior walk-on Mike Mattarocci, a 6-feet-8 forward, has left the SDSU men’s basketball team to concentrate on volleyball. SDSU Coach Jim Brandenburg said Thursday that Mattarocci has been invited to try out for the USA Volleyball team in January.

“He came out and did a nice job for us,” Brandenburg said. “He worked hard and improved. If he would have stayed with basketball, I think he could have been a Division I player.

“(But) not too many people get that kind of invitation.”

This would have been Mattarocci’s first year on the team.