Kleinsasser ends successful season for Oxy
The following are updates on area athletes at the collegiate level.
Eric Kleinsasser (Crescenta Valley High, 2007) senior, Occidental College men’s cross-country: Kleinsasser closed out his career Saturday at the NCAA Division III National Championship. Kleinsasser, who won four consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference individual championships, clocked 25 minutes 26.97 seconds to place 92nd overall and second for the Tigers on the 8K course at Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winnecone, Wis.
Occidental finished 27th in the event. The Tigers entered the competition riding a wave of momentum having winning the conference championship and capturing its first regional crown since 1991.
Kleinsasser advanced to the championship after he placed third in the West Regional Championship in 25:2.10 seconds on the 8K course at Pomona-Pitzer.
Gabe Ramirez (Crescenta Valley High, 2009) junior, midfielder, University of Redlands men’s soccer: The season proved to be a successful one for Ramirez and Redlands, who saw their season wrap up Friday with a 1-1 (5-3 on penalty kicks) loss against visiting Calvin College of Michigan in a sectional semifinal of the NCAA Championships.
Ramirez didn’t record a point in the match, which saw Redlands tie the score at 1 in the 46th minute.
Ramirez finished the campaign with five goals and 10 assists for 20 points in 24 matches. He tied for the team lead in assists with Jamie Griffin and finished with 43 shots, 18 on goal.
The Bulldogs finished 20-3-2. Redlands notched its fourth 20-win season and went unbeaten in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (14-0).
Nick Posthuma (St. Francis High, 2008) senior, forward, Cal State Fullerton’s men’s soccer: Though the season didn’t go according to plan, Posthuma managed to secure All-Big West Conference accolades for the second consecutive season despite battling injuries.
The two-time All-Area Player of the Year finished with two goals and three assists for 17 points in 16 matches. Posthuma collected 17 shots, including nine on goal.
Posthuma secured all-conference first-team accolades last season for the Titans. He finished his career with 15 goals and five assists for 35 points in 70 matches.
Cal State Fullerton finished 7-7-5, 1-6-3 in conference, for last place in the seven-team conference.
Frances Rodriguez (Holy Family, 2008) senior, setter/defensive specialist, Bethune-Cookman University women’s volleyball: Rodriguez, a former All-Area second-team pick, and the Wildcats saw their season come to a conclusion Saturday at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament at Coppin State.
Bethune-Cookman suffered a 25-20, 25-15, 25-18 loss against Florida A&M in a semifinal match. Rodriguez finished with 22 assists and five digs for the Wildcats, who finished 13-19, 6-4 in conference. In an opening-round tournament match, Rodriguez registered 31 assists and seven digs to help Bethune-Cookman post a 15-25, 25-18, 17-25, 25-20, 15-13) victory against Morgan State on Friday.
In 109 games, Rodriguez finished with 595 assists, 161 digs and 20 aces.
