by Christine Owen
Editor in Chief
The University of La Verne women’s volleyball team no longer has a perfect record after it had to forfeit its Oct. 6 game against Cal Lutheran following the suspension of seven players.
Ryan Winn, Jennifer Stout, Amy Kratochvil, Amy Smith, Meridith Zembal, Stacey Lupu and Adrian Pearson were suspended by the University following a Sept. 30 physical altercation on campus between Smith and freshman Lyssa Ortiz. All suspended players are believed to have been present at the time of the fight, which is under investigation by La Verne police.
Additionally, Smith has been suspended until Oct. 15 and has not played or practiced since her original suspension by head coach Don Flora on Oct. 1.
Because only five team members were eligible to play, Jane Saikali, a player who was on the team last year, played for the Leopards on Friday night against Pomona-Pitzer. The Leopards won the match in five games, improving their record to 7-0. However, on Saturday night, Saikali was not available to play against Cal Lu because she is a freshman coach at Glendora.
Jim Paschal, director of athletics for ULV, declined to comment on the suspension of the volleyball team members and the forfeit to Cal Lu, which jeopardizes the Leopards’ chance to return as SCIAC Champions and return to the NCAA Championships.
“I don’t think you’ll find anybody in the institution that will be willing to talk with you about this issue,” Paschal said.
Volleyball team members would not comment on the situation and said that the ULV Athletic Department had instructed them not to.
Ortiz said that on Sept. 30, Smith struck her outside her on-campus residence while being surrounded by Smith and teammates.
“She [Smith] is a good athlete and a starter,” said Ortiz, “Seven games [suspension] is something, but not enough, that’s why I’m going ahead and pressing charges.”
Ortiz said that she has not ruled out the possibility of filing charges against another volleyball team member.
Smith has declined comment on the situation because of the ongoing police investigation.
In a published statement, Flora said “I think this team will support each other through this situation. This team has great unity.”
In a published statement, Flora said “I think this team will support each other through this situation. This team has great unity.”
“Irregardless to the fact that it had to do with an athlete, it is sad when anybody resorts to using violence unnecessarily,” said Rick Simon, chair of the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee at ULV.
Simon said that although the incident on Sept. 30 did involve members of the volleyball team, “it is not really a sports issue, but an issue with students fighting on campus.
Simon said that he is aware that Flora and volleyball players had been directed by “senior management in the department” (of movement and sports science) not to comment on the issue.
“I think that it’s appropriate,” he said. “They’re not trying to cover up anything.”
La Verne defeated Caltech Tuesday night to improve their record to 8-1. Of the suspended players, only setter Ryan Winn started for the Leopards.
