NOTES AND QUOTES for a Monday in the Napa Valley:

Freshman forward Max Alvarez scored a goal to help the Sacramento State men’s soccer team to a 2-0 win over visiting Air Force Friday in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opener for both teams at Hornet Soccer Field.

Alvarez’s goal came in the second half. After being fouled on a tackle inside of the 18-yard box, the former Napa High School star was awarded a penalty kick and took the opportunity himself. His shot into the right corner of the net went past the Falcons’ keeper and into the net for his eighth goal of the season, sealing the victory for Sacramento (5-5-1 overall).

Alvarez, who led the Hornets with four shots, was the 2008 Napa County Player of the Year after scoring 42 goals and leading the Indians to a 15-9-2 record and into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs

He was a three-time All-Monticello Empire League and All-Napa County player, scoring 108 goals during the final three years of his career.

Alvarez also played for Davis Legacy ’91 at the club level, leading the Legacy to the Disney Soccer Showcase championship last winter, while earning tournament MVP honors.

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Sophomore Rachel Pickett took two shots for the Fresno State women’s soccer team during a 1-0 Western Athletic Conference loss Friday to Utah State.

Pickett is a Napa High graduate.

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Lea Wallace was 36th in the women’s invitational race for the Sacramento State cross country team during the Santa Clara Invitational, which was held Saturday afternoon at Baylands Park in Sunnyvale.

Wallace, a former Vintage High standout, had a time of 18:10. There were 156 runners in the race.

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Vicky Deely, a redshirt freshman who plays a wing position, is among the returners for the UC Davis women’s basketball team. Practices for the Aggies began last week at Hickey Gym. Their season opener is Nov. 13 at Seattle University.

Deely was a three-time Napa County Player of the Year while starring for Justin-Siena. Deely, who averaged 22.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game as a senior, was also a four-time All-Marin County Athletic League honoree, including MVP distinction as a sophomore and senior.

Davis finished 11-18 overall and in fifth place in the Big West Conference with a 7-9 record last year.

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Carlos Diaz already has three goals for W Connection of Trinidad and Tobago, which plays in the TT Pro League of Trinidad. The club plays its home games in Manny Ramjohn Stadium and is based at Sevilla Club in Couva

Diaz is a striker from Napa who also played soccer at Vintage High and St. Mary’s College in Moraga. He has also played for the U-20 United States men’s national team, the San Francisco Seals and Ferencvarosi TC, which is in the eastern group of the Hungarian National Championship II.

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Jason Lehman caught eight passes for 47 yards — with a long reception of 12 yards — for Occidental College in a 20-14 victory over Chapman University in a nonconference football game Saturday night in Los Angeles.

Lehman went to Justin-Siena and is from Napa.

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Lindsay Brown had 26 assists, five blocks and five defensive digs, but the Sonoma State volleyball team lost its California Collegiate Athletic Association match last week to Cal State Los Angeles, 3-0. Brown is a Napa High graduate.

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The Northern California Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association in cooperation with the University of California Cooperative Extension will host its 2009 Institute today and Tuesday at The Course at Wente Vineyards in Livermore.

This educational conference will focus on global positioning systems, geographic information systems, and soil sensor technology.

E-mail Executive Sports Editor Marty James at mjames@napanews.com or call 256-2223.