BRIEFS

VANGUARD RANKED NO. 4

The Vanguard University men’s soccer team is ranked No. 4 in the NAIA, its highest ranking ever, the Lions learned Wednesday.

Vanguard, ranked No. 11 last week, upset then-No. 2-ranked Azusa Pacific, 1-0, on Saturday.

The Lions (9-2-1, 3-1-1) tied, 0-0, with unranked Westmont in Santa Barbara on Wednesday.

The Warriors outshot Vanguard, 10-8, in the Golden State Athletic Conference match.

Goalkeeper William Johnson recorded three saves for Vanguard. Frank Logan had five saves for Westmont (6-4-3, 1-1-3).

The Lions will play host to Biola Saturday at 7 p.m.

The Biola Eagles (8-2-0, 4-1-0) defeated California Baptist, 2-1, Wednsday.

They moved into a first-place tie with Concordia. Vanguard is tied for second in the GSAC with Point Loma Nazarene.

SWIFT EARNS HONOR

Vanguard goalkeeper Marissa Swift won Golden State Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors. The 5-foot-5 senior stopped 12 of 13 shots attempted against her in 186 minutes.

She led the No. 25-ranked Lions to a 1-1 record, the win coming on her fifth shutout of the season, a, 2-0, victory over Concordia. Swift also made 10 saves against No. 2-ranked Asuza Pacific, holding the Cougars scoreless before they scored six minutes into overtime.

UCI’S KNIFFIN RETURNS

David Kniffin, a former UC Irvine men’s volleyball player, has been named an assistant coach for the Anteaters men’s volleyball team, head coach John Speraw said.

Kniffin returns to his alma mater after playing two years of professional volleyball in Spain.

Kniffin, who was a setter on the Anteaters’ 2002 and 2003 teams, holds the UCI single-season record for most assists with 1,632 in 2003 and is fourth in career assists with 2,806. Kniffin was part of UCI’s first No. 1 ranking and first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation postseason victory in 2003.