Spikers hit
Florida in
pursuit of
NCAA title
By Eric Branch
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
GAINSVILLE, Fl. — The UCLA women’s volleyball team is fortunate
the Atlantic Coast Conference is not a hotbed of volleyball talent.
Five days after battling ACC co-champion Georgia Tech, the No. 3
Bruins take on fellow co-champion No. 21 Duke University (24-5
overall) today at the University of Florida in an NCAA Championship
Regionals first-round match.
Excuse the Bruins (29-3) if they are not overly daunted by their
upcoming test after systematically dismantling Tech, 15-7, 15-9,
15-8, in one hour and 20 minutes. Despite losing to Georgia Tech
already this season, feisty Duke head coach John Wilson is not
conceding anything to his heavily favored opponents.
"I think we absolutely have a chance," Wilson said. "If we felt
we didn’t, we’d just phone it in and give them a free trip to the
finals. But we’re not going to do that."
The Blue Devils have reached the Regionals on the strength of a
first-round bye and a 15-11, 15-3, 15-4 second-round whipping of
ACC rival Georgia. In the match against the Bulldogs, middle
blockers Kristin McMahon and Adrian Nicol displayed that the
strength of the Blue Devils lies in their blocking. McMahon posted
four block assists and one block solo while McMahon roofed two
block assists and one solo as the Devils outblocked Georgia 10 to
three.
"From what we’ve seen, they are an excellent blocking team,"
UCLA head coach Andy Banachowski said. "They’re also a team that
refuses to beat itself. If we win, we’re going to have go out and
beat them."
With a starting lineup headlined by Pac-10 Player of the Year
Annett Buckner, Pac-10 first teamer Alyson Randick and Pac-10
freshman first-teamer Kara Milling complemented by 1993 Pac-10
selections Jenny Johnson and Kim Krull, it is doubtful the Bruins
will need too much assistance from the Blue Devils.
Barring a complete collapse, UCLA will face the winner of the
Regional’s other first-round match pitting No. 11 Florida against
No. 17 Houston. If the favored Gators prevail, the Bruins will face
the Gators in the Regional final for the right to go to the Final
Four in Austin. Working in Florida’s favor would be a decided
home-court advantage.
"If we have to play Florida on their home-court, I think that
would be a tremendous advantage for them," Banachowski said. "They
are always well supported by their fans and I’m sure they would
draw even more for a Regional final."
As a sidelight, UCLA sophomore setter Kelly Flannigan, a Tampa
native, is preparing for a reunion, of sorts, in Gainsville. While
she expects to see old faces, to label them supporters might be
excessive.
"Well, I’m sure a lot of people I know will be at the matches,"
Flannigan said. "I don’t know if I would call them fans,
though."