SAN DIEGO COLLEGE NOTEBOOK : Tennis Rematch Features Women of USD, SDSU

One year ago Wednesday, the University of San Diego women’s tennis team volleyed into national prominence by taking a 5-4 victory over San Diego State.

Never before had a Torera team defeated the cross-town nationally-ranked Aztecs, and the victory enabled USD to break into the Top 20 for the first time ever. Both SDSU and USD later qualified for the NCAA championships in Gainesville, Fla. For USD, it was another first.

The rematch is at 2 p.m today on SDSU’s East Courts, and this time SDSU assumes the role of underdog--albeit slight.

SDSU, ranked 17th, fell to 3-5 after losing to No. 1 Stanford (9-0) and No. 4 Cal (8-1) over the weekend. USD (4-2) is ranked 16th.

“The returning players from last year are really looking forward to that match,” SDSU assistant coach Anne Moeller said. “It should be a fun, tough, competitive match.”

Said Kathy Toon, USD’s assistant coach, “In essence, it’s going to be one of the most important matches for us. It’s going to be extremely tough all the way down the line. Both teams have a lot of depth.”

If there’s one thing most basketball teams hate about playing on the road, it’s contending with the home crowd. Which is usually an advantage for teams playing USIU. The Gulls average around 200 people a game.

But Florida International Coach Rich Walker figured out a way to turn the advantage around.

With his team trailing, 22-15, in front of a noiseless crowd of 90, Walker could easily be heard complaining about a call.

Technical.

USIU’s Kevin Bradshaw made the two free throws. As the referee who called the technical was handing Demetrius Laffitte the ball on the subsequent possession, he said: “Too bad we don’t have a crowd, then he could yell all he wants.”

--Bradshaw moved into second place on the USIU list for field goals in a season. He had 16 against Florida International to move past Brett Crawford, who had 257 in the 1983-84 season. Bradshaw added 11 in a 93-91 victory over UC San Diego Saturday night and has 280 for the season. Joe Yezbak set the record with 299 in 1985-86.

Bradshaw, a junior, has already set single-season records for points and free throws and will most likely finish with the free throw shooting percentage mark as well.

USD’s baseball team swept a three-game West Coast Conference series over the weekend from San Francisco by scoring the winning run in its last at-bat in all three games. Reliever Tom Cheek (5-0) picked up the victory in all three. The Toreros improved to 7-6, 4-2.

Point Loma Nazarene golfer Andreas Strandberg had a hole in one last week on the par 3, 220-yard 18th hole (ninth hole of the Lake Course) of the Stardust Country Club. Strandberg, a senior who also plays soccer at PLNC, said he had two other aces in his native Sweden, but this was his first in the United States.

Said Ben Foster, who has been coaching golf at PLNC for 15 years, “We had a player about four or five years ago make one in the district championships, but this is the only other one.”

Proving patience can be a virtue, Christian Heritage guards Rundy Foster and Will Cunningham are nearing the end of their four years at the El Cajon school with a shot at the NAIA District III men’s basketball championship and a possible national championship in either the NAIA or the National Christian College Athletic Assn.

The Hawks are 28-5 having won 10 in a row and 19 of 20. In 1986-87, its first season of competition, Christian Heritage was 8-20.

USD’s women’s basketball team completed its season Saturday with a 72-56 victory over Gonzaga. The Toreras (17-10) set school records for victories and winning percentage (.630).

USD guard Candida Echeverria ended her career as the school’s leading scorer with 1,214 points. Guard Paula Mascari, a graduate of Monte Vista, finished seventh all-time with 802 points.