CSUN Spikes It Home in Volleyball

There was a new and somewhat surprising entrant in the NCAA Division I men’s volleyball finals last weekend. It was hardly the University of California at Los Angeles because the Bruins, ranked No. 1 all season, were vying for their 14th national title in 24 seasons. No, the news this year involved the last team to stand in their way. It was not Pepperdine or USC. It was not another of those Midwest, soft-schedule, wanna-be schools that always think they belong on the same court with California teams.

The guys who matched up against the Bruins for bragging rights last Saturday were the Valley’s own Matadors of Cal State Northridge. Their accomplishment was hardly diminished by the result: a 15-8, 15-11, 15-10 loss that was more competitive than the final score suggested. CSUN’s team was led by Ken Lynch, Coley Kyman and Axel Hager.

The match was not only Northridge’s first appearance in the volleyball Final Four. It was the first such berth of its kind for the Matadors in any sport, and the highest postseason achievement of any CSUN team since its sports program moved up to the more competitive Division I level.

For CSUN, a beleaguered commuter school that has undergone everything from deep budget cuts to ethnic turmoil this year, the Matadors’ season also gave the school a dose of pride that was long overdue.

That sweet feeling of success has continued this spring with Northridge’s other Division I steamroller: a women’s softball team that is also ranked No. 2 in the nation and has already recorded more than 40 victories. Led by Beth Calcante, Tamara Ivie, Amy Windmiller and Kathy Blake, the Matadors have been among the NCAA’s leaders all season.

Perhaps they will get a chance to avenge their brethren against the top-ranked UCLA softball team. At the least, few folks will be joking about “Cal State Who?” any more.