Friday, December 4, 1998
Young Bruins need to play with heart in NCAA contest
PREVIEW: UCLA will rely on All-Pac-10 selections to succeed in
tournament
By Kimberly Edds
Daily Bruin Contributor
Youth plus determination equals victory.
That has been the equation that has helped push UCLA women’s
volleyball into the NCAA tournament this year. The team hopes it
will be the trick that will push them through the tournament,
too.
The Bruins face the University of Virginia in the first round of
the NCAA Division I tournament Friday at UC Santa Barbara at 6
p.m.
UCLA finished the regular season ranked No. 15 with a 15-11
overall record.
After a shaky start in which they lost their first six games,
the Bruins made up for it by finishing the year winning 12 of their
last 14 games.
Virginia finished the year 26-7, also winning 12 of their last
14 games. The Cavaliers are one of 10 teams which is making their
first NCAA tournament appearance, due in part to the expansion of
the tournament bracket from 56 to 64 teams this year.
"It will be fun to see a new team in Virginia," UCLA head coach
Andy Banachowski said. "That’s what this tournament is about –
getting match-ups from across the country."
If UCLA wants to add another banner to Pauley, the team is going
to have to dig deep and play just like it has been playing: with
heart and determination.
And if nothing else, they will be able to lean on their
All-Pac-10 selections in freshmen outside hitters Kristee Porter
and Ashley Bowles, and sophomore middle blocker Elisabeth Bachman.
Porter was also named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.
The young UCLA team is strong all around, but the Virginia
Cavaliers will provide some stiff competition for the Bruins.
Junior middle hitter Jessica Parsons leads the Cavaliers in
kills with 483 and an attacking percentage of .331. UCLA will have
to be tough on defense in order to deal with Parsons and outside
hitter Andrea Fisher, second on the team with 370 kills.
UC Santa Barbara will face Santa Clara at UCSB on Saturday, with
the winner of that match facing the winner of the UCLA-Virginia
game on Sunday at 4 p.m. in the second round of the tournament.
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