Through all the injuries and inconsistencies surrounding the
outside hitter position this year, a new star emerged over the
weekend. Junior Nancy Barba, thought of as a last option at the
beginning of the season, has stepped up as the Bruins’ most
consistent hitter when the team needed one the most. Barba notched
14 kills against Stanford on Thursday and a team-high 15 in the
five-game win over Cal the next day. “It has been a big
challenge,” said Barba, who is naturally a middle blocker but
has played more of an outside hitter’s role lately.
“We’ve had some big shoes to fill, and this
weekend’s matches were very important to us.” Barba hit
an exceptional .542 against Stanford and followed that breakout
performance by hitting .290 against the Golden Bears. But despite
her impressive performances, Barba had seen very limited action
prior to this season. Her freshman year, she sat out most of the
season with a foot injury, and during her sophomore campaign, Barba
played in just six matches. But this year, with an injury to
Heather Cullen and the benching of Brittany Ringel, Barba has
played a more significant role in the offense. Besides her
offensive output, Barba has also teamed up with fellow middle
blocker Nana Meriwether to create a stronger defense that was
lacking earlier this season. “Having two middles in the game
has made us better at blocking,” UCLA coach Andy Banachowski
said. “Nancy has been an improvement for us.” With a
crucial upcoming match this week against USC and its powerful
tandem of All-Americans of Keao Burdine and Emily Adams, Barba will
be asked to provide the defense the Bruins were missing in their
earlier loss to the Trojans this year. “‘SC is a very
tough squad,” Banachowski said. “And we’re going
to need everyone to contribute if we are going to win.”
CULLEN STILL OUT: Senior outside hitter Heather
Cullen continues to sit out because of a strain in her lower back.
Cullen, one of the veterans who was expected to lead the Bruins
this year, attended a few doctor’s appointments over the
weekend and received some mixed reviews. “The doctors have
still not been able to determine the true extent of my
injury,” Cullen said. “But as soon as it stops hurting,
I should be ready to get back in the lineup.” Cullen has been
out of the lineup since suffering a strained back prior to the
match against the Oregon Ducks on Oct. 21. The Bruins have gone 4-3
without Cullen in the lineup, dropping nearly 10 spots in the
rankings.
ZARTMAN SETS RECORD AGAIN: Chrissie Zartman,
the Pac-10’s all-time leader in digs, set a career high with
30 digs in Friday’s match against Stanford. Zartman, the one
consistent player during the Bruins’ troubles this season,
has continued to separate herself from the rest of the competition
by recording double-digit digs in nearly every match this year.
Named the Pac-10 Player of the Week earlier this season, Zartman
has taken the majority of the Bruins’ passes this season and
is one the major foundations for UCLA’s solid defense.
“It’s nice to know that people have recognized
me,” Zartman said. “But I think our team is filled with
good passers, and we should be recognized as a team.”