No Surgery for Taylor of Matadors

Cal State Northridge center Kevin Taylor will not have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, choosing instead to rest the joint, Coach Pete Cassidy said Tuesday. Cassidy said he expected Taylor to miss the next three games.

Taylor, a 6-foot-7 junior from Sacramento City College, was injured Dec. 2 against Cal State Fullerton and has missed three games.

Soccer

Pepperdine junior Jennifer Evans, a former Royal High standout, has been named to the National Soccer Coaches Assn. of America All-West Region third team.

Sean Taketa of Moorpark College has been selected second team All-American by the National Community College Soccer Assn.

Harvard-Westlake High striker Jessica Post has committed to Dartmouth. She was a third-team All-Southern Section Division II pick and a member of The Times’ all-area team last season.

Cross-Country

The Valley Striders, paced by individual winner Eva Dencer, won the midget (for athletes born in 1983 and ‘84) girls’ title in the USA Track & Field Junior Olympics in Baton Rouge, La., on Saturday.

Dencer, a Somis resident, timed 11 minutes 14 seconds over the 3,000-meter course.

Brook Cockrell (11:27) of Sherman Oaks was seventh and Whitney Phillips (11:35) of Valencia ran 13th (11:35) for the Striders.

Softball

Larry Mohr will replace Greg Hayes as coach at Canyon High.

Jurisprudence

Peter Claridge, father of a La Canada High girls’ volleyball player, will stand trial in Ventura on Jan. 5 on misdemeanor assault charges stemming from a September incident in which he allegedly attacked an official after a match.

Contributing: Rob Fernas, Jeff Fletcher, Irene Garcia, Dana Haddad, John Ortega, Tris Wykes.