Titan Women Lose First Two in Volleyball

FULLERTON â€”  The Cal State Fullerton women’s volleyball team began its season Friday in the Colorado State Tournament at Fort Collins, Colo. The men’s soccer team opens its season Sunday at the San Jose State Tournament.

The volleyball team, which returns five starters from last season’s 8-30 team, lost to Northern Illinois, 6-15, 15-12, 15-12, 15-12, and Montana State, 8-15, 15-7, 17-16, 15-10, and also lost two of those starters--both seniors.

Captain and setter Stephanie Shrieve tore ligaments in her right ankle against Northern Illinois and is expected to be out two weeks. Middle blocker Stephanie Scofield tore ligaments in her left ankle while sightseeing in Fort Collins on Thursday.

Shrieve set a school record with 1,336 assists last season, and Scofield set a school mark with 478 digs.

The Titans are again led by 6-foot-4 outside hitter Becky Howlett, the 1990 Big West Conference freshman of the year who finished ninth in the nation in kills per game (4.72) and set a school single-season record with 633 kills.

Howlett had 13 kills against Montana State, bringing her Titan career total to 656--fourth on Fullerton’s list.

The other returning starters are junior outside hitter Angela Lightfoot, who led the team with 34 aces, and junior outside hitter Rachel Wittliff.

Fullerton, under the direction of third-year Coach Jim Huffman, should be boosted by the addition of freshman setter Stacey Stanek, a former San Luis Obispo High standout who was ranked among Volleyball Monthly’s Fabulous 50 recruits last season.

Against Northern Illinois, freshman Christina Bennett led the Titans with 11 kills, and another freshman, Casey Baldwin, had three aces against Montana State.

Fullerton plays Colorado State at 7:30 tonight.

The Titan soccer team, which returns six starters from last season’s 8-8-3 team, plays California at 1 p.m. Sunday and San Francisco at 1 p.m. Monday. Both games are at San Jose State.

Fullerton will rely on senior forward Raul Haro, who ranked second on the team in goals (eight) and assists (four) last season. The other returning starters are seniors Noah Kooiman (defender) and John Gerardo (forward), and sophomores Ken Hesse (defender), Todd Patrick (defender) and Marc Roosen (forward).

Senior midfielder Andy Martz, an all-conference, second-team selection in 1989, returns after taking off last season to concentrate on school, and Kooiman returns after missing much of last season because of a shin bruise.

Fullerton, guided by 11th-year Coach Al Mistri, lost two key players from the 1990 team, leading scorer Steve George and goalie Jay Nettekoven. Mike Ammann, a sophomore from Mater Dei High, will take over in goal for the Titans.

Titan Notes

The Cal State Fullerton Cross-Country Invitational, featuring a men’s 8K race (9:30 a.m.) and a women’s 5K race (10:15), will be held Sept. 7 at Carbon Canyon Park in Brea. The course will cover 70% pavement, 20% thick grass and 10% dirt and will include two large hills for the men and one for the women. Runners will be divided into two divisions, university (Division I and II) and college (Division III, NAIA, community college). Open runners will be allowed to compete but will not be eligible for awards. The awards will go to the top two teams and top 12 individuals in both divisions. An entry fee of $45 per team (unlimited entries) or $7 per individual should be sent to the Fullerton cross-country office, P.O. Box 34080, Fullerton, 92634-9480. For more information, call Titan Coach John Elders at 773-3490.