Success Earns SCC a Tougher Road

The Southern California College men’s soccer team is learning that even modest success sometimes comes with a price.

Because of a new scheduling system and their third-place finish in the Golden State Athletic Conference last season, the Vanguards are facing a grueling conference schedule that could keep them out of the NAIA District 3 playoffs this season.

Before the season, the GSAC decided to add more conference matches to the schedule, but some of the more powerful teams didn’t want the extra match against the weak teams. So a modified round-robin system was developed.

Based on the Vanguards’ third-place finish, SCC was given two matches against the first- (Westmont), second- (Fresno Pacific) and fourth-place (Azusa Pacific) finishers and one against the other three teams.

Westmont (11-4-2, 5-0-1 in conference), ranked No. 8 in the latest NAIA national poll, and Fresno Pacific (9-3-1, 4-0-1), ranked No. 14, are again dominant and Azusa Pacific (5-6-1, 4-1-1) is in third place ahead of the Vanguards (9-6-1, 2-2-1).

Six teams will qualify for the playoffs, with the selections based on a power rating. SCC Athletic Director Ron Prettyman said the breakdown might be three independents and three conference teams.

“I’ve been involved in athletics at SCC since 1973 and this might be the best soccer team we’ve ever had, and because of this new system it might not make the playoffs,” Prettyman said. “I don’t want to jump to conclusions because we still have four matches to go and if we knock off Westmont or Fresno we can still get in there.”

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The Vanguards, who play host to cross-county rival Christ College Irvine (2-12-1, 0-4-1) at 7:30 tonight, have been able to stay on track despite several recent injuries.

Hector Perez, a freshman midfielder, has missed about six matches with two separate ankle injuries and senior goalkeeper Miguel LaMotte has missed parts of two matches because of an injured shoulder.

SCC Coach Dave McLeish said the bench has performed well in relief and singled out goalkeeper Angel Ruiz and defender Aaron Hebbard for special mention.

“If we get everybody healed up by playoff time we should be all right,” McLeish said.

First, the Vanguards have to face Christ College Irvine, Azusa Pacific on Saturday and Fresno Pacific and Westmont at home next week.

Notes

Leslie Lastrapes, the Southern California College women’s volleyball player who has missed the last six weeks of the season because of a broken ankle, practiced again Wednesday and is expected to return to the back row tonight against Biola at SCC. . . . The Chapman men’s soccer team lost two matches in Florida--a 5-2 loss to Barry, ranked No. 16 in NCAA Division II and a 4-1 loss to Nova. . . . The Panthers’ women’s volleyball team has dropped two places to No. 20 in the latest AVCA poll. Chapman lost two California Collegiate Athletic Assn. matches last week--to Cal State San Bernardino in three games Tuesday and No. 13 Cal State Los Angeles in four Friday. The Panthers (14-9, 1-4 in the CCAA) defeated Division III UC San Diego Tuesday in three games but have dropped into sixth place in the conference.