The Tenth Annual Heritage Club Classic got off to good start for Golden State Athletic Conference teams. In Saturday’s first game, #2 Azusa Pacific (1-0) scored four first-half goals on the way to a 6-0 victory over the Red Raiders Northwestern of Iowa (2-1). Then #23 Westmont (1-0) put the ball in the net in each half to record a 2-0 win over the Penguins of Dominican.

Azusa Pacific’s Elijah Mwansanga scored twice in the Cougars’ win while Jared Karkas recorded three assists. Mwansanga’s first goal came in just the third minute of action off an assist by Steven Lenhart. Sven Simon scored on a penalty kick in the eleventh minute to put Azusa Pacific up 2-0.

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Freshman midfielder Taylor Callen scored her first collegiate goal and then recorded her first collegiate assist to help lead Westmont Women’s Soccer to a 2-0 shutout over DePauw of Indiana (0-1), the NCAA Division III’s twenty-third ranked team. Amy Lawson picked up her second goal of the season just before the close of the first half to give Westmont (1-1) the victory. The Warriors are playing in the Bob Baptista Invitational in Wheaton, Illinois.

“We withstood a lot of pressure from DePauw early in the game,” reported head coach Rebecca Mouw. “Then we started putting together some runs and creating some opportunities. Taylor had the ball on the right side at about the 30 minute mark and took a couple of defenders on – beating them and scoring from about 20 yards out.”

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It was not the season opener which head coach Rebecca Mouw had in mind – especially one conducted on her birthday. Westmont women’s soccer did not look impressive in the first half of their game against Cal State San Bernardino (2-0). The Warriors were out shot 5-0 in the first 45 minutes with two of the Coyotes’ shots finding the back of the net as CSU San Bernardino spoiled the party with a 2-1 win.

“We came out flat in the first half,” acknowledge Mouw. “Our inability to do the small things correctly kept us from functioning as a team.”

The Coyotes’ first goal came just 4:48 into the game on a one-on-one shot attempt by Katie Liby from 8 yards out. A series of three passes set up Liby who had three shots on goal in the first half.

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Junior goalkeeper Justin Etherton recorded 13 saves in the forty-fifth edition of the Bryant & Sons Cup help annually between Westmont and UC Santa Barbara. This year’s game, which was conducted as an exhibition, was won by a score of 2-0 by #1 UCSB, the NCAA Division I reigning champions.

“With 17 new players on our roster, it was great to see us come out feeling positive against the national champs,” said head coach Dave Wolf.

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Sophomore outside hitter Beth Widicus tallied 17 kills and 16 digs in the final two matches of the Roberts Wesleyan Volleyball Tournament in Rochester, New York, to help the Westmont Warriors (4-0) win the tournament championship. Widicus was named Tournament MVP and was joined on the All-Tournament team by senior libero Malinda Reese.

The Warriors completed their sweep of East coast teams with 3-0 victories over Point Park (30-26, 30-18, 30-25) and Mercyhurst (30-28, 30-20, 30-26), both of Pennsylvania.

Sophomore middle blocker Katie Lowry tallied 21 points and seven blocks over two games on Friday as the Warriors claimed two wins in pool play at the Roberts Wesleyan Tournament in Rochester, New York.

The Warriors swept Shippensburg (Penn.) in their first match of the tournament with scores of 30-25, 30-23, 31-29. Westmont also won in three games against Daeman (N.Y.) with scores of 30-18, 30-25, 31-29.

The wins are career victories number 200 and 201 for head coach Jim Smoot, with 166 of those wins coming at Westmont. His career record as a collegiate women’s volleyball coach currently stands at 201-164 (.551) including a Westmont record of 166-117 (.587)

John Moore, head coach for Westmont men’s basketball, announced the signing today of 6′ 8″, 215 pound post player Bobby Fenske of Carrollton, Texas. A sophomore transfer from the U.S. Naval Academy, Fenske is expected to help compensate for the sudden departure of Tom Garlepp.

“I think Bobby has the potential to fill the hole Tom left,” said Moore. In some ways it’s a wash, but Bobby has three years of eligibility so we get an extra year with him. He is a face-up guy who can really shoot the ball and is good on the perimeter. From all accounts he is a phenomenal shooter who can put the ball in the hole. His high school coach called him the best shooter he has ever seen.”