CAL LUTHERAN NOTES: BEATING THE CLOCK: PIERCE PLAYING CATCH-UP AT CLU.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

Andi Crane is starting to know how her teammate felt last year.

Crane was Cal Lutheran's top finisher in each women's cross country meet of 1998. Lisa Pierce was usually one of the first behind her but could never finish better than second.

The roles reversed in the first two meets of this season as Pierce has been the Regals' top finisher and Crane has come in second. Crane and Pierce's next race is Saturday at the Riverside Invitational.

``It's not that Andi's doing any worse,'' coach Ken Roupe said, ``Lisa's just doing that much better. She did a lot of training over the summer.''

Pierce, a junior, was injured as a freshman and Roupe believes the effects lingered through Pierce's sophomore season.

``Now she's healthy and in shape,'' Roupe said. ``It's awesome.''

Pierce and Crane could have another challenger for the top spot by next week, when Chelsea Christensen is expected to make her debut with the Regals. Christensen is a sophomore transfer from Moorpark College and is impressing Roupe during workouts while recovering from a pulled hamstring.

``Just seeing what she's done in practice, she should be one of the top runners in conference. She might even contend for the conference title.''

A few good men: A lack of members is the biggest problem for the Kingsmen cross country team. Geir Kristiansen opened the season by finishing first against Redlands and is turning in better early-season times than last year's, when he was among the top runners in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but he is joined by only five other CLU men.

Part of the problem is Roupe's being new to the men's program and his late recruiting start. However, even with more time, Roupe said he would be surprised if he came close to matching the 18 members he has on the women's team.

``There's not a lot of men out there to recruit,'' Roupe said. ``Other schools are having the same problem. It's hard to get men cross country runners. I think we're losing a lot of them to soccer. Women, it just seems like there's more out there. But the men we have are doing well.''

They can only beat themselves: The men's soccer team lost its first game of the season Monday at Chapman. The only goal in the 1-0 loss was an own-goal.

The Kingsmen started their pursuit of a fourth consecutive SCIAC title when they began conference play Wednesday at Occidental. CLU plays its first conference home game Saturday against Whittier.

An unwanted record: Last week's 7-0 loss to Westmont was the worst home loss in the 11-year history of the women's soccer team and ties for the most lopsided defeat in Regals history (CLU lost 7-0 to UC San Diego in 1989). ``It was just one of those days,'' senior Ashley Scott said. ``Things just didn't go right. It was really bad.

``It was kind of a wakeup call. It's good it happened now, (when) there's time to get our buns moving.''

The Regals made some lineup moves and responded with a 4-0 win against Pomona-Pitzer in Saturday's SCIAC opener, extending their undefeated streak in conference to 50 games.

``We had a couple really good workouts and we just really wanted to redeem ourselves,'' Heidi Theis said.

CLU, ranked third in the West region, dropped back to .500 with a 1-0 loss at Chapman on Monday.

In the dark: The football team's inability to win night games continued last week at the University of San Diego. The Kingsmen are 1-9 in night games since 1996 and just 4-15 since becoming an SCIAC member for the 1992 season.

CLU (0-2) gets a 1 p.m. game this week when it travels to Whitworth College in Spokane, Wash. The Kingsmen's only other night game this season is Oct. 23 at Occidental.

Coaches wanted: The Regals softball team is seeking applicants for the part-time positions of assistant coach and pitching coach. Information: Coach Jodi Eyraud [phone], or fax resumes to [phone].