Sports Update: Nov. 19-24

UCSB received a No. 10 seed in the 2013 NCAA Division 1 men’s soccer tournament and a bye into the round of 32. The winner of a first-round match between Penn State and St. Francis (NY) will take on the Gauchos at Harder Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 6 p.m.

The Gauchos earned the second highest seeding in their 11 NCAA appearances under coach Tim Vom Steeg. They were a No. 9 seed in 2004 when they reached the College Cup final. They were unseeded when they won the national championship in 2006.

Two other Big West Conference teams are seeded in this year’s top 16 – UC Irvine (No. 12) and Cal State Northridge (No. 15). UCSB defeated both those teams during the regular season. Northridge upset the Gauchos, 3-2, in the semifinals of the conference tournament last Friday, but that did not diminish their body of work. They went 12-5-3 against a schedule that included seven NCAA tournament teams, and they were unbeaten (8-0-3) in the last seven weeks of the regular season.

Three of the top four seeds are West Coast teams – No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 Washington and No. 4 California. Notre Dame is the No. 3 seed. New Mexico, the No. 7 seed, is opposite UCSB in the second-round bracket. The third round will be played on Dec. 1.

In the CIF fall playoffs, top-seeded Laguna Blanca will host Crossroads of Santa Monica in a Division 4A girls volleyball semifinal on Tuesday night (Nov. 19). Second-seeded Cate travels to face Pacifica Christian.

Carpinteria drew a home game in the second round of the Northwest Division football playoffs Friday night, while Bishop Diego will be on the road again.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS

Tuesday, 11/19: Women’s basketball – Bakersfield at SBCC, 5 pm.

Wednesday, 11/20: Women’s volleyball – L.A. Mission at SBCC, 6 pm.

Thursday, 11/21: Women’s soccer – Southern Cal Regional: Mt. San Jacinto at SBCC, 2 pm. Men’s basketball – UCSB at Colorado, 5 pm. Women’s basketball – UCSB at St. Mary’s, 6 pm. MTXE Tournament: L.A. Southwest at SBCC, 8 p.m.

Friday, 11/22: Women’s basketball – MTXE Tournament at SBCC: Semifinals, 2pm-8pm. CHM Hotels Invitational at Westmont: Carroll (Mont.) vs. Westmont, 6 pm; Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) vs. The Masters, 8 pm. Women’s volleyball – Cal State Fullerton at UCSB, 7 pm.

Saturday, 11/23: Women’s soccer – NAIA tournament: Westminster (Utah) at Westmont, 1 pm. Women’s basketball – CHM Hotels Invitational at Westmont: Carroll vs. The Masters, 1:30 pm; Freed-Hardeman vs. Westmont, 3:30 pm. MTXE Tournament at SBCC: Consolation, 12 pm; Third place, 2 pm; Championship, 4 pm. UCSB at Santa Clara, 5:30 pm. Women’s volleyball – UC Riverside at UCSB, 7 pm; NAIA tournament: Menlo at Westmont, 7 pm. Men’s basketball – Pomona-Pitzer at Westmont, 9 pm.

Sunday, 11/24: Men’s soccer – NCAA tournament, second round: Penn State or St. Francis (NY) at UCSB, 6 pm.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

Tuesday, 11/19: Girls volleyball – CIF semifinals: Crossroads at Laguna Blanca, 6 pm; Cate vs. Pacifica Christian at Brentwood, 7 pm.

Friday, 11/22: Football – CIF playoffs: El Segundo at Carpinteria, 7:30 pm; Bishop Diego at Duarte, 7:30 pm.

Saturday, 11/23: Girls volleyball – CIF Division 4A final: Laguna Blanca vs. Pacifica Christian at Cerritos College, 1 pm.

RUNNING, WALKING, CYCLING

Information for most events: sbrunning.org.

NOVEMBER: 23 – UCSB Recreational Sports 10K/5K Turkey Trot. 24 – Santa Barbara Red Rock 50 Mile and Marathon Trail Run, Rancho Oso Guest Ranch. 28 – Run Santa Barbara Thanksgiving 4-Miler.

DECEMBER: 14 – Elings Park Terrain Festival.