[ Golden Gater Online - November 13, 1997 ]
Keith B. Orchard
Staff writer
Cross Country:
SF State ended the 1997 season with 10th-place finishes from both the men's and women's cross country teams in the NCAA Western Regional Championship in Pomona this past weekend.
"I was pleased with how the season progressed," coach Randi Lydum said.
Lydum said both teams sparked a higher intensity to competing as the year progressed and it showed with many of the runners recording personal and career bests in the last two weeks of the season.
The men's top performer was junior Peter Fain, who finished his last cross country 10K of the season with a career-best 34 minutes, 00.2 seconds, good enough for a 38th finish.
"That's phenomenal for Peter to do so well in the 10K when he's normally an 800-meter runner," Lydum said.
Sophomore Chuck Wychoff crossed the finish line almost 37 seconds later, finishing 45th overall and second on the men's team.
Juniors Robert Morales and Charles Litten, and freshman Bissrat Yohannes completed the race, finishing 63rd, 68th and 71st, respectively.
The women's team finished stronger with junior Kenna Masuda claiming 17th place overall with the time of 19:14.4 in the 5K.
Senior Ragga Thordarson crossed the finish line 23 seconds later, taking home the 31st place finish. Rounding off the squad for the women Gators were juniors Samira Heshmati (70th) and Tatyana Zakharova (72nd), freshman Jennifer Speirs (75th) and juniors Ilona McDiarmid (77th) and Erin Pettit (82nd).
"Everybody has a week off and then they'll start practicing for track," Lydum said.
Volleyball:
Ending last week in fourth place in the Northern California Athletic Conference, SF State has pulled together a cohesiveness they wished they had throughout the season.
Head volleyball coach Kathy Argo said she wishes the season were just beginning instead of ending because the team has really played well and has pulled together during the last few weeks.
SF State beat California State University at Humboldt Friday, 3-1, and lost to NCAC division-leader Sonoma State, 3-1, on Saturday.
The Gators were led by co-NCAC Player of the Week, junior outside hitter Lindsay Jones, who recorded double figures in kills and digs for both games along with a .267 average and five blocked shots.
"I felt like I played more freely this weekend." said Jones, who's been playing volleyball since she was in the seventh grade. "I was more focused. I concentrated on defense and passing, and the hitting just flowed."
Jones finished the weekend with 42 kills and 38 digs, adding to the Gator arsenal of seniors -- Kris Larsen, Pam Rigor and Dana Steigerwald.
Larsen is ranked eighth in the league with 311 kills, which is the third highest kill percentage at .300. Larsen also ranks second with .89 blocks per game. Steigerwald, Rigor and Jones are fifth, ninth and 10th in digs with 299, 273 and 246, respectively.
"Lindsay has been really consistent lately with her hitting and blocking," teammate Karry "Petie" Field said. "Her moral and her court attitude are the same, regardless if we're winning or loosing."
This will be the last week to see the Gator volleyball team in the Main Gym this season as they face division foe CSU Chico on Friday at 7 p.m.. On Saturday, the team travels to UC Davis for a 7 p.m. match.
[ Golden Gater - November 13, 1997 ]