The Dons beginning their celebration around their goalie, Miguel Solis
Paul Wellman

TOP SPORTING EVENTS: MARCH 3-14

Westmont College’s hopes for a bid to the NAIA national men’s basketball tournament are riding on tonight’s (Thu., March 3) game at Murchison Gym between the Warriors and Fresno Pacific. The winner will advance to the Golden State Athletic Conference semifinals. The Westmont women lost to Vanguard in the GSAC quarterfinals Wednesday night, but they are still hopeful of an NAIA bid because of their No. 22 ranking and the strength of the conference.

UCSB’s basketball teams end their regular season Saturday in preparation for next week’s Big West Tournament. The women have a shot at a share of the regular-season championship when they play at Cal Poly. The Gaucho men will host Cal Poly at 7:20 p.m. in the last home game for their four seniors.

On the high school front, four area teams will play for CIF Ford-Southern Section championships on Saturday. Three of them will be competing in soccer finals at Warren High in Downey – Cate (Division 7), Carpinteria (Division 5) and Santa Barbara (Division 1). Bishop Diego will vie for the Division 6AA boys basketball title at Mater Dei in Santa Ana.

Santa Barbara’s Dons have thrived under pressure on the soccer pitch, winning two playoff games in sudden-death overtime and, in Tuesday’s semifinal, they defeated West Torrance in a penalty-kick shootout after neither team could score in 100 minutes of regulation and overtime.

Goalkeeper Miguel Solis made a diving save on West Torrance’s first penalty kick, and the visiting Warriors put two other attempts over the goal and off the crossbar at Peabody Stadium. Sanford Spivey and Tyler Schleich of the Dons put their PKs into the net, and that’s all they needed to win the shootout. Santa Barbara, which won the Division 2 championship last year, will face San Clemente in Saturday’s last match at 7:30 p.m.

The spring sports season is here, with baseball, softball, tennis, swimming and volleyball events during the coming week.

Thursday, March 3

College men’s basketball – GSAC Tournament, first round: Fresno Pacific at Westmont, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 4

College men’s tennis – UC Irvine at UCSB, 1:30 p.m.

College baseball – Sacramento State at UCSB, 2 p.m.

High school swimming – Channel League Relays at Santa Barbara, 2 p.m.

High school baseball – Oxnard at San Marcos, 3:15 p.m.; Pioneer Valley at Santa Barbara, 3:30 p.m.

High school boys volleyball – Mira Costa at Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.

College men’s volleyball – Cal State Northridge at UCSB, 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 5

College baseball – California Baptist at Westmont (2), 11 a.m.; Sacramento State at UCSB, 1 p.m.

High school boys volleyball – Bishop Diego at San Marcos, 2 p.m.

High school boys soccer – CIF finals at Warren High (Downey): Carpinteria vs. Baldwin Park (Div. 5), 12 p.m.; Cate vs. Mammoth (Div. 7), 2:30 p.m.; Santa Barbara vs. San Clemente (Div. 1), 7:30 p.m.

College women’s basketball – UCSB at Cal Poly, 4 p.m.

College men’s basketball – Cal Poly at UCSB, 7:20 p.m. (TV: KCOY-12); GSAC Tournament semifinals.

High school boys basketball – CIF Division 6AA final: Bishop Diego vs. Valley Torah at Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 8:15 p.m.

Sunday, March 6

College baseball – Sacramento State at UCSB, 1 p.m.

Monday, March 7

Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon, Harry’s Plaza Café, 12 p.m.

High school boys volleyball – Westlake at Dos Pueblos, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, March 8

College baseball – USC at UCSB, 2 p.m.

College softball – Cuesta at SBCC, 2:30 p.m.

High school softball – Bishop Diego at Santa Barbara, 3:30 p.m.

College women’s basketball – Big West Tournament quarterfinals: TBA at UCSB, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, March 9

High school softball – Carpinteria at Santa Barbara, 3:30 p.m.

High school boys volleyball – Royal at Santa Barbara, 6 p.m.

Thursday, March 10

College baseball – Moorpark at SBCC, 2 p.m.

High school baseball – Righetti at Santa Barbara, 3:30 p.m.

College men’s basketball – Big West Tournament quarterfinals at Anaheim Honda Center.

Friday, March 11

College softball – Gaucho Classic II: UNLV at UCSB, 9 a.m.; Wisconsin at UCSB, 3:15 p.m.

College men’s tennis – San Diego State at UCSB, 1:30 p.m.

High school swimming – Dos Pueblos at San Marcos, 2:30 p.m.

College men’s volleyball – El Camino at SBCC, 6 p.m.

College women’s basketball – Big West Tournament semifinals at Anaheim Honda Center, 12 and 2:15 p.m.

College men’s basketball – Big West Tournament semifinals at Anaheim Honda Center, 6:30 and 9 p.m.

Saturday, March 12

College softball – Gaucho Classic II: Wisconsin at UCSB, 9:30 a.m.

College baseball – Biola at Westmont (2), 11 a.m.; Ventura at SBCC, 1 p.m.

College women’s basketball – Big West Tournament final at Anaheim Honda Center, 1 p.m..

College men’s basketball – Big West Tournament final at Anaheim Honda Center, 5 p.m.

Sunday, March 13

College softball – Gaucho Classic II: UNLV at UCSB, 11:45 a.m.; San Diego at UCSB, 2 p.m.

College women’s tennis – Cal State Fullerton at UCSB, 1 p.m.

Monday, March 14

Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon, Harry’s Plaza Café, 12 p.m.

FOR RUNNERS AND CYCLISTS

Saturday, March 5 – Shamrock 5 Miler, UCSB West Campus, 9 a.m. ucsbruns.com.

Saturday, March 12 – Solvang Century, 100- and 50-mile rides, Hotel Corque, 400 Alisal Road, 6:30 a.m. bikescor.com

Saturday, April 2 – Montecito Half Marathon. active.com.

Saturday, April 16 – Chardonnay 10 Miler/5K, Loma Alta and Shoreline Drive, a.m. sbactionpro.com.

Friday-Saturday, April 29-30 – Santa Barbara Endurance Races (100 mile, 100K, 50 mile, 50K, 35K, 25K 15K), Rancho Oso, 6 a.m. sber.co.

Saturday, April 30 – Gaucho Gallop, 10K/5K, UCSB Harder Stadium, 9 a.m. ucsbruns.com.

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