Matador Volleyball Gets Some Help

Since its Aug. 4 restoration, the Cal State Northridge men’s volleyball team has quickly been adding players. This week was no exception for Coach Jeff Campbell, who picked up four transfers, including three 6-foot-7 middle blockers: Adam Black from La Verne, Brian Welsh from Pierce and Brian Hughlett from Long Beach City College.

Greg Logan, a 6-2 setter from Golden West College, also committed to Northridge.

“Once I got the word out, I can’t believe how many people responded,” said Campbell, who takes over after seven seasons as an assistant.

“I’m working some magic here. It’s called spending a lot of time on the phone and a lot of time in the admissions office.”

The addition of three middle blockers was especially welcomed.

“I think we’re going to be as good or better in the middle as we were last season,” Campbell said.

Campbell did, however, lose two players. Starting middle blocker Sean Callahan transferred to Long Beach State and outside hitter Mike Szymanski transferred to San Diego State.

GYMNASTICS

Vanessa Atler of Canyon Country, too young to compete in the world championships later this summer, took the lead after the women’s all-around preliminaries Thursday night in the U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Denver.

The U.S. meet is a qualifier for the world championships, but Atler, at 15, doesn’t meet the age requirements.

Atler, last year’s junior national champion, won the vault--the last of her four routines--with a two-vault average of 9.512.

Atler had 37.187 points to pace the all-around standings. Points will carry over to Saturday night’s all-around finals.

BASEBALL

Powered by seven home runs, the Valley White Sox won two games and advanced to today’s championship of the AAU National tournament for 13-year-olds.

Home runs by Brendan Bartholomew and Danny Dominguez helped the White Sox beat Monterey Park, 5-2, in the semifinals in Moreno Valley. Danny Caudillo was the winning pitcher and Danny Mata earned the save and had four hits to set up today’s 6 p.m. final against the Carson Reds at Evans Field in Riverside.

The White Sox earlier eliminated Encinitas, 15-7, scoring 11 times in the fourth inning behind a three-run homer by Mata, a two-run home run by Dominguez and a run-scoring triple by Ziggy Campos.

BASKETBALL

The American Roundball Corp. defeated Indiana, 50-29, Thursday in a quarterfinal game at the 10-and-under AAU National Championships in Orlando, Fla.

Mike Mercer scored 18 points to lead ARC.

SOFTBALL

Melissa Rawson tied the game with a home run and Valerie Rodriguez drove in the winning run with a bases-loaded, infield single in the seventh inning to give the Parkview Little League 13-15 all-stars from Lancaster a 3-1 victory over Naples, Fla., in the Little League Softball World Series in Kalamazoo, Mich.