Easy Day for Klein Turns Semi-Tough

Emilee Klein of Studio City rolled into the semifinal round of match play Thursday with two victories in the Women’s U.S. Amateur Championship at The Homestead’s Cascade Course in Hot Springs, Va.

Klein romped to a 5 and 3 victory over Julie Brand of Ocala, Fla., in the morning round but had to rally for a 1-up, 19-hole victory in the afternoon against Denmark’s Pernille Pedersen.

Pedersen had a two-hole lead with three to play and provided the start to Klein’s rally by dumping her approach shot into the water on the 16th hole.

“She kind of gave me a gift,” Klein said.

Klein, who played at Notre Dame High and is the NCAA Division I champion from Arizona State, will face Jill McGill of Denver in the semifinals today.

Track and Field

Mike Wagenbach, the men’s and women’s cross-country coach at Mission College since 1980, will take over the men’s track program at Valley College.

Wagenbach, who will continue to coach cross-country at Mission, will be assisted by Tim Knappen, a former Valley standout who won the pole vault in the 1970 State junior college championships.

Tennis

In a long-awaited showdown between the Valley’s top two female juniors, top-seeded Meilen Tu of Northridge will meet No. 4 Ania Bleszynski of Thousand Oaks today. The two will play in the semifinals of the United States Tennis Assn. Girls’ 18 National Championships in San Jose.

On Thursday, Tu defeated No. 5 Tara Snyder of Wichita, Kan., 6-1, 6-4. Bleszynski defeated No. 8 Jennifer Hall of Oklahoma City, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.

In other USTA national tournaments, No. 4 Mike Bryan of Camarillo defeated Nathan Overholser of Okemos, Mich., 6-2, 6-3, to advance to the quarterfinals of the rain-delayed boys’ 16 tournament in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Erin Boisclair of Agoura Hills, ranked No. 1 in the nation, was upset in the quarterfinals of the girls’ 16 tournament in San Diego. Her 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 loss to Tammy Encina of Miami Beach, Fla., however, was followed by a victory in doubles that will send Boisclair and Janet Walker of Seffner, Fla., to today’s semifinals.

Bay Vo of Reseda beat Neil Hurlbut of Tucson, Ariz., 6-3, 7-5, to reach the semifinals of the men’s 60 tournament in Santa Barbara. No. 8 John Bennett of West Hills fell to top-seeded King Van Nostrand of Bay Shore, N.Y., 6-3, 6-1.

Baseball

The team representing the 818 and 805 area codes in next week’s Area Code Games will play an exhibition doubleheader against the team from the 213 and 310 area codes at 10 a.m. Sunday at Cal State Northridge.

The Area Code Games begin Tuesday at Blair Field in Long Beach.

Cycling

John Wordin of West Hills, a member of the Valley-based Nutra-Fig Racing Team, won the 10-mile Lake Piru Time Trial in 21 minutes eight seconds--three seconds off the course record.

Basketball

Cal State Northridge has hired Jeanette Armentano as an assistant to women’s Coach Kim Chandler.