Thursday, October 24, 1996
VOLLEYBALL:
Women’s volleyball hopes to wipe slate clean, improve rankBy
Grace Wen
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Are you ready to rumble?
Round two of Pacific 10 conference play begins tonight as the
UCLA women’s volleyball team tries to deal a 1-2 punch to crosstown
rival USC.
It won’t be easy for the Bruins (13-7, 5-4 Pac 10), who have won
only one of their last four matches. Meanwhile, USC (12-5, 6-3) has
been on a hot streak  winning five of their last six matches
 including sweeps over the Washington and Arizona
schools.
"Everybody is ready for it because we’re upset with the losses
we’ve had," senior middle blocker Kim Krull said. "We don’t feel
like we’ve had good team efforts out there. Everyone’s hoping that
will change. (We’re) starting over Thursday, it’s a whole new
beginning."
The Bruins, whose ranking plummeted to 18th this week, see this
as a time to wipe the slate clean. A win over the Trojans could set
the tone for the rest of the season as UCLA prepares for the NCAA
tournament.
UCLA, traditionally a strong hitting and blocking team, would
like to improve its play at the net, since Pac-10 opponents outhit
(.209 to .196) and outblocked (25-17) the Bruins.
"We need to get production from our outside hitters," UCLA head
coach Andy Banachowski said. "And we need to be able to block a
ball."
"We’re going to work on getting better reading of our opponents’
attack so we can position our block a little better. (It’s) a big
key for us (to be) in better position."
For UCLA, solidifying a lineup will also be key. Although most
of the Bruins’ outside hitters have recovered from injury, not one
has claimed the starting role left open by junior Kara Milling’s
move back to opposite.
In addition, the setting duties are up in the air again. Junior
Kim Coleman started the match against Cal last weekend but sat out
the final three games when UCLA went down two games to none. Senior
Kelly Flannigan  who hadn’t seen action in a conference match
 entered the match and sparked UCLA’s comeback. Flannigan
also started the next night against Stanford.
The question marks in the lineup don’t bode well for the Bruins,
especially since USC has reached mid-season form.
"We’ve made some steady improvement from the opening of the
season in September," USC head coach Lisa Love said. "Our outside
hitters are hitting at a higher efficiency and our quick hitters
are hitting at a higher efficiency so we seem to be going in the
right direction."
"I’m sure they’re going to come over and try and even the score
after we knocked them off over there," Banachowski said. "They’re
playing very well right now. They are really going to try and have
their outside hitters both have good matches against us."
Leading the pack for the Trojans will be sophomore outside
hitter Jennifer Kessy. Named the Pac-10 Player of the Week for the
past two weeks, Kessy notched 21 kills the last time UCLA and USC
faced off.
UCLA will need to have the counter for Kessy if they want to
win.
"It’s going to be pretty even for both of the teams," Kessy
said. "UCLA is going to get fired up to play us and we’re going to
get fired up to play them."
Love put it best when she said "we’re in the
fasten-your-seatbelt round of the Pac 10, no question. So, in
looking toward the tournament, every match is a critical match.
Starting the first round successfully is very important to both
teams."
The bout begins at 7:00 tonight in Pauley Pavilion and will be
broadcast live on KIEV radio, 870 AM.
JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin
Elisabeth Bachman (#11) goes up to block, while Kim Krull (#8)
covers her on defense. The two will lead the Bruins against USC
tonight.