NOTEBOOK / GARY KLEIN : Azusa Pacific Women to Battle Mesa State for Trip to Nationals

The Azusa Pacific women’s volleyball team plays host to Mesa State College of Colorado Saturday night in the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics Bi-District II championship.

The winner of the match advances to the NAIA nationals Dec. 5-7 at Ft. Hays State in Hays, Kan.

Azusa Pacific won the District III championship last weekend by defeating Westmont and Fresno Pacific.

It was Azusa Pacific’s first district title since 1980, when the Cougars won the national championship.

Azusa Pacific is 29-7 under fifth-year Coach Lori Kildal. The Cougars are led by outside hitter Lenee Hill, a 5-foot-10 senior from Redondo Beach who transferred to Azusa Pacific after playing three years at Florida.

Azusa Pacific has defeated Mesa State twice this season.

“We played our peak game against Fresno,” Hill said. “If we can keep it at least at that level, we should have no problem getting to the national tournament.”

Closing act: The La Verne women’s volleyball team ended its season last weekend with a 17-16, 15-9, 17-16 loss to Illinois Benedictine in the NCAA Division III regional quarterfinals at Chicago.

La Verne, which made its 10th consecutive playoff appearance, won the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Assn. title with a 12-0 record. The Leopards finished 21-8 overall.

Finish line: The Claremont-Mudd water polo team, which won its 10th consecutive SCIAC championship, finished fifth at the Water Polo Assn. Championships in Hawaii.

The Stags, under Coach Mike Sutton, lost to UC Davis, 10-8, then beat Loyola Marymount, 10-9, and UC Riverside, 10-8, in the consolation bracket.

UC San Diego won the tournament and advanced to the national championships Nov. 29-Dec 1 at Long Beach.

Moving up: J.R. Phillips, a former standout at Bishop Amat High, has been placed on the California Angels’ 40-man major-league roster.

Phillips, a 21-year-old first baseman, batted .248 with 20 home runs, 70 runs batted in and 22 doubles last season for Palm Springs, the Angels’ affiliate in the Class-A California League.

For openers: The Cal Poly Pomona men’s and women’s basketball teams open their seasons Friday by playing host to annual tournaments.

The men’s four-team tournament features Seattle Pacific and Chico State in one semifinal at 3 p.m. and Pomona and Cal State San Bernardino in the other semifinal at 7:30.

The women’s round-robin tournament begins Friday at 5:30 with Western Washington playing Cal State Stanislaus.

Cal State Los Angeles also opens its season this weekend. The women’s team is playing host to a four-team tournament that includes Saginaw Valley State, Puget Sound and the Australian Institute of Sport.

The men’s team plays the Fellowship of Christian Athletes on Friday and travels to Cal State Long Beach on Saturday night.

In the running: Brian Barnes of Claremont and Kelly Redfield and Judith Alderman of Pomona-Pitzer will compete in the NCAA Division III cross-country nationals this weekend at Newport News, Va.

The three runners qualified at last week’s West Regional at the Rancho Santa Fe Polo Club near San Diego.

Benefit runs: The 14th annual Run for the Roses 5- and 10-K runs and 5-K pledge walk will be held Dec. 15 at the Rose Bowl.

The event, which benefits the Boys and Girls Clubs of Pasadena, begins at 8 a.m. and includes wheelchair divisions.

Information: (818) 449-1953.

Softball tournament: The El Monte Parks and Recreation Department is playing host to a holiday slow-pitch softball tournament on Dec. 7.

The 12-team double-elimination tournament is for D-level teams.

Information: (818) 580-2200.

Calling all umpires: The Foothill-Citrus Baseball Umpires Assn. is seeking people interested in officiating high school games.

No experience is necessary; the association provides training in rules and mechanics.

The organization will hold its first meeting Jan. 19 at Walnut High.

Information: (818) 964-9445.

The Occidental College football team was defeated by UC San Diego, 28-13, in its season finale. The Tigers (5-4) won their five road games and lost their four home games.

The Occidental men’s basketball team begins its season Saturday at Christ College Irvine. The Tigers, under fourth-year Coach Brian Newhall, are led by senior forward Sandy Brown, who averaged 16.5 points a game last season. Occidental finished 14-12 last season.