Loma Nazarene

COSTA MESA - Vanguard University's softball team mustered together one hit, but that was enough as the Lions' Gina Liebengood threw a two-hit shutout to give host Vanguard a 1-0 win over Pt. Loma Nazarene in the first half of a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader Tuesday. Erin Gomez scored Vanguard's (9-8, 2-2 in conference) only run in the fourth inning on a ground out by Jill Jesseon. Liebengood, who improves to 7-2, struck out seven of PLNU's (15-6, 2-2)

SAN DIEGO - The Vanguard University softball team lost both games of a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader to host Pt. Loma Nazarene Saturday. In the first game, the Crusaders (10-6 in conference) had an easy 7-1 victory. Rachel Carver scored Vanguard's only run after doubling in the fifth inning. The Lions (5-9 in conference) were shut out, 2-0, in the second game, when they managed just three hits. GOLDEN STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE First game Pt. Loma Nazarene 7, Vanguard 1 Vanguard 000 010 0 - 1 8 1 Pt. Loma Nazarene 120 040 x - 7 9 1 Atchley, Camarillo (6)

COSTA MESA - Samuel Baeder and Adam Steckler each had three hits in Saturday's baseball doubleheader, but Vanguard University couldn't stave off a sweep by Golden State Athletic Conference visitor Pt. Loma Nazarene. Pt. Loma won the first game, 9-1, behind a complete-game three-hitter from Mitch Newell, then took a 6-0 lead en route to a 7-3 second-game triumph. Vanguard fell to 6-34, 2-23 in conference, while Pt. Loma improved to 22-17-2, 16-10.

MEN'S BASKETBALL Point Loma Nazarene 85, Vanguard 76 COSTA MESA — Greg Gusiff had a team-high 15 points for the Lions in a Golden State Athletic Conference loss Tuesday.   Kevin Dalafu scored 14 and Greg Scott had 10 points for Vanguard (4-13, 1-7 in conference), and the duo combined with Gusiff for nine three-pointers. Golden State Athletic Conference PLNU -- Benson 22, Graham 18, Lopez 15, Ortiz 11, Sanderson 9, Wilcox 7, Kuhn 3. Point Loma Nazarene 85, Vanguard 76   3-pt.

No. 1 Lions lead the entire game to snap Point Loma's six-game win streak and extend their own season-long string to 21 wins.COSTA MESA -- The best way to beat a hot team, apparently, is to be an even hotter team. Five players scored in double figures for Vanguard University, led by Kelly Schmidt's 19 points, as the Lions defeated Point Loma Nazarene, 73-64, in a Golden State Athletic Conference women's basketball game Tuesday. The victory ended a six-game winning streak for Point Loma Nazarene and extended Vanguard's to 21. The Lions (21-0, 14-0 in conference)

SAN DIEGO - Host Pt. Loma Nazarene was just too tough for visiting Vanguard University as it shut out the Lions, 9-0, in a Golden State Athletic Conference match Tuesday. Megan Godfrey, who lost, 6-4, 6-1, won the most games for the Lions (1-2). GOLDEN STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE Pt. Loma Nazarene 9, Vanguard 0 Singles - Doyal (VU) lost to Siezcka (PLNU) 6-1, 6-2; Godfrey (VU) lost to Alvarado (PLNU) 6-4, 6-1; Martinez (VU) lost to Anclair-Daigle (PLNU)

COSTA MESA - Basketball observers have noted for years that the mid-range jumper is vanishing from the game. Vanguard University women's coach Russ Davis is partially to blame. And he doesn't mind a bit. Davis' Lions, ranked No. 10 in the NAIA, used 15 layups and nine three-pointers to take care of visiting Point Loma Nazarene, 71-52, in the Golden State Athletic Conference opener for both teams Tuesday. Vanguard (5-1) did manage to work in Esther Timmermans jumpers of 15, 12 and 14 feet on its way to making 27 of 57 field-goal attempts (47.4%)

Peters recognized Former Newport Harbor High football quarterback Kasey Peters, a senior at Rocky Mountain College in Montana, was named Fronteir Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after nearly guiding the Battlin' Bears to an upset of Carroll College, ranked No. 2 in NAIA Division I. Peters completed 21 of 36 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. He also carried 17 times for 127 yards and a touchdown in a 42-37 loss Saturday. Peters has completed 97 of 157 p asses for 1,220 yards and 12 touchdowns in four games this season.

BASEBALL Concordia 17, Vanguard 6 IRVINE — The Golden State Athletic Conference setback cost the visting Lions a chance to pull into a second-place tie with Point Loma Nazarene with three conference games remaining. Instead, No. 16-ranked Vanguard (31-14, 21-12) remains a game behind the Sea Lions, who lost to Cal Baptist on Wednesday. In addition, fourth-place Fresno Pacific won to inch within a game of Vanguard, which visits Concordia today at 3 p.m. Jacob Domingos went two for five with two runs batted in and Brandon Young had two hits for the Lions on Wednesday.

COSTA MESA — Since Ralph Grajeda took over as Vanguard University baseball coach before last season, the Lions have steadily and noticeably gained ground. But after dropping three spots in the NAIA poll on Tuesday following a week in which they did not play a game, the Lions experienced some minor slippage on the diamond Wednesday in a 5-2 loss to Golden State Athletic Conference visitor Point Loma Nazarene. The No. 9-ranked Lions (25-7, 16-5 in conference), who were ranked No. 6 in the previous poll, believed to be the highest ranking the program had ever achieved, frustrated Grajeda and his staff against the No. 12-ranked Sea Lions.