MOORPARK COLLEGE: RAIDERS STRUGGLE IN 1-GOAL LOSSES : BUT COACH STILL HAS TITLE HOPES.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

One has been a lonely number for the Moorpark College men's soccer team this season.

The Raiders have been on the losing end of five one-goal matches so far, leaving coach Sean Roche to wonder when the numbers will turn his team's way.

``We're still waiting for our little bit of luck,'' Roche said. ``Hopefully it's coming, because we certainly haven't had much yet.''

The Raiders have a 4-8-1 record and were 1-2 in conference entering Tuesday's match against first-place Allan Hancock. Roche expects a fight for the conference title and doesn't think his team is out of the race.

``It's been tough,'' Roche said. ``Last week we played Citrus, and they scored two goals in the span of five minutes in the second half. They were great shots, but I don't think they will do that again the rest of the season.''

Moorpark is coming off a tough nonleague schedule, in which it played eight teams ranked in the top 15 and managed victories over Fresno City and Irvine City.

``Part of the lack of consistency has been due to our youth,'' Roche said. ``The other part may be that this is only my second year here, and there may be a little bit of inexperience on my part in this particular area.''

Big man back: Moorpark's football team received a pleasant surprise last week when it learned that offensive tackle Jess Ortiz will rejoin the team.

Ortiz, who had missed the previous two games with lingering injuries to both knees, was expected to miss the remainder of the season as late as last week.

Coach Jim Bittner, who two weeks ago said Ortiz was unable to even get down in a lineman's stance, said the knees have improved enough to allow the sophomore to return.

Ortiz was in pads for the first time on Monday.

``He was in a lot of pain a couple weeks back,'' Bittner said. ``I told him, `Look, just take the pads off for a couple weeks, put up your feet and see what happens.' I knew we had the bye week coming up too, so I knew that would give him enough time to see how he felt.

``We're certainly glad to have him back.''

Back to football: Bittner wasn't sure what to do with himself this weekend, going an entire Saturday without coaching a football game.

``It almost feels like we are starting the season over again,'' said Bittner, whose team travels to face L.A. Southwest on Saturday. ``We spent last week concentrating on Southwest, because they are a tough team.''

Tee it up: The Moorpark baseball program will hold its annual Grand Slam Golf Tournament on Monday at the Wood Ranch Country Club.

Participation in the tournament costs $175 and includes green fees, cart and range balls, a box lunch and sit-down dinner. Cost for the dinner only is $40.

Registration at the Simi Valley course beings at 8:30 a.m. Monday, with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. and dinner at 4 p.m. Information: Athletics Department, [phone].