Unable to end one losing streak last Saturday, the UCLA
women’s volleyball team will get a second chance tonight to
end another.
The Bruins’ 3-1 loss to Stanford was the team’s
seventh in a row against the Cardinal. But tonight, the No. 11
Bruins will hope No. 6 USC doesn’t similarly extend its
winning streak in the series to eight games.
The Trojans (9-3, 4-2 Pac-10) knocked out the Bruins (11-4, 4-2)
last year in the NCAA Quarterfinals and have dominated the rivalry
of late. But with five seniors in the starting lineup, the Bruins
hope their experienced lineup will make the difference this
year.
“The seniors have lost many tough matches against the
Trojans,” sophomore Colby Lyman said. “We want to do it
for them.”
The seniors certainly feel they have the right lineup to defeat
the Trojans.
“We have a veteran lineup and I think it would be a big
win for us personally,” senior Chrissie Zartman said.
“It would definitely give us confidence against top-ranked
teams in the future.”
Two seniors in particular, Heather Cullen and Brynn Murphy, will
be asked to carry the load for the Bruin offense.
In their last match against Stanford, Cullen registered 16 kills
while Murphy recorded 12 as the pair have played at the top of
their games.
“Both have played in big matches in the past, and
they’re used to playing in hostile environments,”
Banachowski said.
“We certainly hope that both will bring their A game on
Friday.”
The Trojans’ extensive range of offensive options,
featuring five hitters averaging more than 2.30 kills per game,
will look to counter the UCLA’s experience. Of course, so do
five Bruins led by Murphy’s 3.04 kills per game.
The Trojans’ top two hitters in particular, Keao Burdine
and Emily Adams, both registered double-digit kills in all three
matches against the Bruins last year and will be difficult to
stop.
“(USC’s) having so many weapons will definitely make
it harder for us,” Banachowski said. “But I think it
will force us to play just that much better to get the
win.”
As daunting as USC’s offense and winning streak may be,
the Trojans will seek to intensify the pressure on the Bruins even
more by adding an extra 500 seats in an effort to set the all-time
attendance record at the Lyon Center.