CAL LUTHERAN WILL HOST REGIONAL PLAYOFF; SECOND-SEEDED KINGSMEN OPEN TOURNEY SATURDAY VS. CLAREMONT OR UC SAN DIEGO.

Byline: Patrick Hipes Daily News Staff Writer

The Cal Lutheran men's soccer team found out Sunday it will not only be involved the NCAA regional tournament this weekend - it will host it, too.

The Kingsmen (15-2-2), who won the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title last Saturday, picked up the No. 2 seed in the region and will open the tournament Saturday at 11 a.m. at North Field against the winner of the Claremont-UC San Diego match played Thursday in La Jolla.

The opposite draw will pit top-seeded Macalester (Minn.) College against the winner of the Chapman University-Colorado College match Thursday in Colorado Springs on Saturday following the Kingsmen's match.

``It's an exciting time here,'' said CLU coach Dan Kuntz, who spent last weekend with the Regals at the NCAA regional at UC San Diego. ``Sometimes you spend your whole career just to have this opportunity.''

The Kingsmen haven't lost since Sept. 16, against NCAA Division II Dominguez Hills. Their only other loss was to Division II champion Grand Canyon in the season opener.

What-if: So, what needs to happen for Cal Lutheran to win or share its first SCIAC football title since joining the conference in 1992 - and the first football championship of any kind since 1982?

First and foremost, the Kingsmen (4-4, 3-1) must beat last-place Claremont-Mudd on Saturday in the season-finale at Mt. Clef Stadium at 1 p.m.

If that happens, CLU can do no worse than tie for the title. Who it shares the honor with depends on the evening games - Redlands plays host to La Verne and Occidental plays at Whittier, both at 7 p.m.

If Redlands and Whittier both lose, the Kingsmen win the title outright. If they both win, it's a three-way tie.

Regardless, history is not on the side of the SCIAC teams when it comes to a playoff berth. The regional is anti-West Coast of late, and even La Verne's 9-0 record in 1994 didn't qualify them for the postseason.

Volleyball in again: The Regals' volleyball team is the No. 6 seed in the NCAA West Regionals at UC San Diego, and will open the tournament Thursday at 7:30 p.m. against Chapman University.

The Regals (7-12, 7-5) had won the previous three SCIAC titles before this season. They enter the game against the Panthers (15-9) having lost four of their last six.

SCIAC honors: CLU senior defender Lara Philby was named the SCIAC women's soccer Player of the Year on Tuesday, one of six Regals players named to the first team.

Goalkeeper Laura Corei, forwards Kim Holeman and Holly Roepke, midfielders Alia Khan and Ashley Scott and Philby were also first team-selections. Liz Christensen and Jennifer Agostino were named to the second team.

The Regals (15-5, 12-0) lost Sunday to Gustavus Adolphus in the first round of the NCAA playoffs at La Jolla.

In volleyball, freshman outside hitter Lauren McCartin was named to the All-SCIAC first team, while Marianne Moll was selected to the second team.

Regals' hoops: All-Southern Section forward Nicole Sanchez (Dos Pueblos HS in Santa Barbara) has joined the team after contemplating not playing this season, according to La Kose.

``She was highly recruited by us,'' he said. ``Her heart just wasn't in it (early on).''

Cross country update: The Regals and the Kingsmen will compete in the NCAA Division III West Regional on Saturday at Prado Park in Chino.

Last week at the SCIAC Championships at the same venue, the Regals finished fifth overall. The men, who lost Geir Kristensen and Cory Stigile to injury during the race, finished incomplete.

Both are expected to be healthy for Saturday.

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Photo

Photo: Jennifer Pappas and her Cal Lutheran teammates open the NCAA West Regional playoff against Chapman on Thursday at UC San Diego.

Gene Blevins / Special to the Daily News