USC-UCLA Means Title Implications

It is time to bring out the anti-USC signs and the baby Bruin dolls that hang from a pole. OK, the football game isn’t until Nov. 18, but those who can’t get enough of a UCLA-USC rivalry will get their fill this week when the schools face off in women’s soccer, men’s water polo and women’s volleyball.

As is usually the case, all three games could have a significant impact in conference standings.

In men’s water polo, UCLA travels to USC’s Swim Stadium on Saturday for a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation matchup of No. 1 against No. 2. The top-ranked Trojans are coming off their first loss of the season Sunday to Cal, but they beat the defending national champion UCLA, 5-4, in the final of the Southern California Tournament.

USC also had some success last season. Of the Bruins’ three losses, two were to the Trojans.

“It’s a very, very intense match,” USC Coach Jovan Vavic said about playing UCLA. “The games are really physical. There’s no way around it, there’s just a natural rivalry between the two schools.”

In what has been a shaky start to its season, UCLA could score a major victory when it faces the Trojans in a Pacific 10 Conference women’s volleyball match Friday at USC’s North Gym.

USC is 12-0 and leads the conference with a 6-0 record. UCLA (10-4) is only one game back at 5-1 but the loss was in five games to unranked Oregon State at home Thursday.

“I think they’re a very good team,” UCLA Coach Andy Banachowski said of the Trojans, who have not lost a game. “They utilize their personnel within their system very well. They haven’t played as tough a schedule as we have, but it’s also given them a lot of confidence. I think they’re feeding off that.”

In women’s soccer, UCLA (8-1-0) has its all-time highest ranking at No. 5 in the National Soccer Coaches Assn. of America poll. After losing their season opener to Clemson, the Bruins will try for their ninth consecutive victory Sunday at the Coliseum.

No. 21 USC (8-1-1) tied Brigham Young, 1-1, and defeated Utah, 4-1, on the road last weekend. It will be the Pac-10 opener for both teams and the only meeting of the season between the two.

In any sport, UCLA against USC is not just another game.

“You just mention those two schools in the same sentence and the hairs raise on the back of your neck,” Banachowski said. “The intensity level definitely increases.”

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With a 3-0 victory Sunday at Oregon State, Pepperdine (8-1-1) set a school record for consecutive women’s soccer victories in a season with its eighth in a row.

Lacey Ubaldi, a freshman forward, scored a goal and two assists in the victory. Pepperdine, which hasn’t lost since Aug. 25 at Fresno State, also recorded its seventh shutout to set another season record.

A showdown for first place in West Coast Conference women’s volleyball is Saturday when Pepperdine visits Loyola Marymount. The sixth-ranked Waves (11-2) and 22nd-ranked Lions (12-3) are 2-0 in conference.

Sophomore forward Arturo Torres tied the Loyola career goal-scoring record with his 23rd in a 1-0 overtime win Sept. 26 over UC Santa Barbara.

COLLEGE DIVISION

Pomona-Pitzer’s football team has dominated its three opponents, averaging 47.7 points with a high-powered offense.

Yet when it comes to making a impact nationally, the Sagehens aren’t even a blip on the radar screen. They received only seven votes in the latest American Football Coaches Assn. Division III poll.

Pomona-Pitzer Coach Roger Caron says the slight is the norm. His team went 7-1 last year and didn’t get a berth in the NCAA playoffs.

“There are 225 teams in Division III, and the top 28 get playoff berths,” Caron said. “Being undefeated is almost a prerequisite for us. If there is one loss, the loss needs to be a good loss to a top team.”

One key reason Pomona-Pitzer and other Southland Division III teams are often shut out of postseason play is because of poor reputation.

Even though it isn’t in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the Sagehens, an independent, annually play those teams, and the conference isn’t looked upon highly on a national level.

But there isn’t a hint of anger or disappointment from Caron because of the lack of respect. Rankings and postseason losses aren’t what the program is all about, he said.

“Our stated goal as a university is to provide an academic experience and a means for our students to participate in intercollegiate sports,” Caron said. “Our administration makes that very clear.

“I know rankings and league titles are important to other schools. For us, the reward is to put in an effort that you’ll be proud of win or lose.”

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Cal Poly Pomona senior James Liu finished fifth overall and fourth among collegiate competitors in the 10,000-meter race at the Bronco Invitational. The Broncos finished second.

Surprising Occidental has jumped to the top of the SCIAC football standings with a 21-10 victory over La Verne. With the other SCIAC teams playing out of conference this week, the Tigers (2-1, 1-0) can take sole possession of first if they defeat Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, whom they host Saturday.