The Pac-10 women’s volleyball title is up for grabs, and it’s anyone’s guess who will come away with the championship. With five nationally ranked teams, the Pac-10 is known in the volleyball world for tough competition week after week.
Fifth-ranked UCLA is ready to make a run for the title, and, more than anything else, the Bruins want to live up to the success from last season.
“We want to be back in the same position as last year. Back in the final four,” coach Andy Banachowski said.
Thus far in the season, UCLA has been on track to prepare for victorious Pac-10 and postseason play. According to Banachowski, the Bruins have used the preseason to recognize what they do well and how well they can compete. The early season matches have allowed UCLA to figure out what areas need to improve before Pac-10 matches begin.
The Bruins’ only loss of the season came at the hands of No. 1 ranked Nebraska on Aug. 25. Nebraska is the returning national champion and the team that ended the Bruins’ season last year in the national semifinals. Despite the early-season defeat, the Bruins view their experience against the top-ranked team as an advantage.
“The Pac-10 is the toughest conference in my opinion,” senior middle blocker Rachell Johnson said. “Nebraska prepared us early on for the competition we will be seeing every week.”
According to Johnson, no team in the Pac-10 can be underestimated. The five ranked teams include No. 2 Stanford, No. 4 USC, No. 5 UCLA, No. 8 Washington and No. 11 Cal. Three teams, including UCLA, are coming back from national semifinal appearances. To add to the conference’s credibility, three Pac-10 teams currently remain undefeated this season.
The Bruins’ most important matches of the season will come when they face Stanford, a team that UCLA has not beaten since the 2000 season. Other significant matches include those against USC.
“Any given night, it’s your best bet who is going to win,” Johnson said. “It shows how talented the conference is. Year after year we play these girls; it’s really tough.”
The Bruins return a talented rotation with depth and experience at each position. Banachowski said the team is not as physical as it was last year due to the loss of graduating senior Nana Meriwether and Katie Carter. But the Bruins are still a quick and athletic team.
“We are competitive, energetic on and off the court, and we are working our butts off,” Johnson said. “It will be a fun environment.”
Johnson and junior setter Nellie Spicer will lead a strong set of starters throughout the Pac-10 season. Junior outside hitters Ali Daley and Kaitlin Sather are back to lead the offense. Senior middle blocker Meghan Schoen and sophomore Emily Clements will also see significant time on the court. New to the Bruins, freshman outside hitter Dicey McGraw will get the chance to contribute to the team. Setting the tone for the Bruins’ defense is junior libero Jade Machado.
Machado said that the team is coming together smoothly and that the new starting lineup is meshing well.
“I think we all get along really well just because we’ve been through a lot together,” said Machado. “We have a really good bond off the court.”