Despite weariness from extended travel delays, #12 Westmont Women’s Tennis (11-10) picked up a 6-3 win over #25 Mobile (12-6) in the first round of the NAIA National Tournament in Mobile, Alabama. The Warriors will advance to second round action on tomorrow, taking on a familiar foe in #3 Azusa Pacific at 9:00 a.m.

The team’s travel plans to the national tournament were interrupted when their Friday morning flight from Orange County to Mobile was delayed by one hour. Since that meant they would miss their connection in Houston, American Airlines re-routed the team to Los Angeles International to catch a 12:30 a.m. flight on Delta Airlines. But when they tried to board, the Delta gate agent would not allow the team on the airplane with their American Airlines tickets.

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The #25 ranked Rams of the University of Mobile will feel right at home when they take on #12 Westmont Women’s Tennis in the first round of the NAIA National Championship on May 12. The Warriors drew the tournament’s host institution which boasts a 12-5 record on the season.

“They have a little advantage in that they are probably training on a daily basis at the facility where we are going to be playing,” said Westmont Head Coach Kathy LeSage, “and they are used to the hot and muggy weather conditions.”

With a conference record of 4-3, Mobile finished third in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference behind #13 Xavier of Louisiana (16-7, 8-0 GCAC) and unranked Spring Hill of Alabama (9-5, 5-3 GCAC). At the Region XIII tournament, Mobile lost 5-1 to Xavier in the quarterfinals. The Ram’s loss was a reversal of the conference tournament in which Mobile claimed the championship with a 5-4 win over Xavier.

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For the eighteenth time in the 22 years under the leadership of head coach Kathy LeSage, Westmont women’s tennis has qualified for the NAIA National Tournament. The Warriors will receive an at-large invitation as the result of a number twelve ranking in the final national poll for the 2008 season.

“To accomplish our season goal of going to nationals is very exciting,” said LeSage. “It feels like it has been a while since we have been there, even though it was just two years ago. The fact that we weren’t on the bubble in the last part of the season helped us to gain confidence and feel like we earned it.”

Thirteen teams earn automatic qualification to the 24-team national tournament through regional competition and one berth will be awarded to #25 University of Mobile as the host school. That leaves ten at-large bids which are awarded to the ten highest ranked teams in the final national poll which did not earn an automatic qualification.

In the final baseball games played at Russ Carr Field before major renovation begins this fall, Westmont (9-33, 8-30) split a doubleheader with Vanguard (17-30, 8-27), taking the second game 4-1 after falling in the first 7-5. Senior pitcher Brandon Downs earned the win for Westmont in game two, pitching six innings in the seven inning game and giving up just one run on seven hits. Downs struck out three and walked two. Senior John Evans earned a save by pitching the seventh inning. He allowed just one hit and struck out one.

“It wanted to come out on senior day and do the best I could. It’s the last time I get to play and I wanted to give everything I had,” said Downs. “I was trying to make sure I didn’t get behind hitters and end up walking people. I was trying to get ahead and get them to ground out for me.”

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Sophomore Kasey Kearin won the Golden State Athletic Conference women’s long jump championship, and several members of the Westmont Track and Field team qualified for the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the GSAC Track and Field Championships in Azusa.

“Kasey is the first women’s long jump GSAC Champion in Westmont history,” said head coach Russell Smelley. “She also set the school record by jumping more than a foot farther than she had before.”

After fouling on her first two attempts, Kearin jumped 5.23 meters (17 feet 2 inches) to qualify for the finals. On her second jump in the finals, Kearin nailed 5.80 meters (19 feet one-half inch) to claim the win. The mark is good enough for automatic qualification in the national championships. Kearin also posted an automatic qualifying mark of 11.49 meters (37 feet 8.5 inches) in the triple jump where she placed third.

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Westmont Baseball put together 12 hits against San Diego Christian in the first game of a doubleheader while starter Eric Gaustad held the Hawks scoreless for seven innings. But it was not quite enough as San Diego Christian came back with one in the eight and four in the ninth to claim a 5-4 win. The Hawks took the second game as well, winning by a score of 2-0 in seven innings.

Westmont took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning of game one when freshman first baseman Colten Christianson connected on an RBI-double to left field which scored freshman center fielder Taylor Maddox from third. Maddox had reached base when he singled to first with one away. After advancing to second on a balk, Maddox took third base on a groundout by freshman third baseman Jordan Bottenfield.

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Twelve student-athletes were honored on Thursday night at the Fourteenth Golden Eagle Award Dinner held at Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort. Referred to as the ‘best night of the year for Westmont Athletics,’ the event is sponsored by the Pacific Beverage Company and Pete and Gerd Jordano.

“It’s even better than our 28-point win over Azusa Pacific,” said associate athletic director and head women’s basketball coach Kirsten McKnight in welcoming the 125 attendees.

Westmont athletic director Dave Wolf served as master of ceremonies for the event and noted that the Westmont staff of head coaches tallied a combined 114 years of experience and that for seven of the coaches, their entire head coaching experience has been at Westmont.

Seniors Kyle Godfrey and Ryan Shultz led Westmont men’s tennis to a 7-2 victory over Chapman (6-11) in the Warriors’ final dual match of the year. Godfrey won at number one singles, defeating Cliff Yook 6-2, 6-3.

“I got a big lead in the first set and got a couple of other breaks and rode with the early momentum,” said Godfrey. “I was feeding off the energy of the matches next to me. Aaron (Cooke) was rolling very quickly and Ryan was playing really well. I was serving well today. When I am serving well it picks the rest of my game up and gives me a lot of confidence.”

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