As the UCLA women’s volleyball team nears the final homestand of the season, its travel plans are still undecided, hotels have yet to be booked and plane tickets haven’t been bought. For a program that is usually penciled in for the postseason before the season even starts – UCLA has missed the postseason just once, in 1996 – it’s fitting for this year of close matches to come down to the wire.
Whether this year’s squad watches the tournament on television or plays in it may be decided by the outcome of its matches against USC (24-5, 14-4 Pac-12) on Wednesday and Utah (19-11, 8-10) on Friday.
To keep the streak alive, UCLA (15-13, 6-12) will likely have to overcome a towering USC team. The Trojans boast nine players that stand at least 6 feet 1 inch and every starter, outside 5-foot-9-inch setter Hayley Crone, is at least 6-2. UCLA, by comparison, starts three players 6-0 or under. In a game where a tipped ball here or a rally-saving dive there could prove to be the difference, every inch may matter.
“USC’s a different challenge,” said coach Michael Sealy. “They’re bigger, more physical. Defense becomes a big factor because they have the capability to hit over the blocks.”
In the two squads’ first meeting of the season back on Sept. 25, it was USC’s offense that gave UCLA fits. The Trojans repeatedly attacked the middle of the Bruin defense en route to a 3-1 victory. Both squads entered that match with just one loss, but have gone in opposite directions since leaving the Galen Center. UCLA lost 10 of its next 14 matches and plummeted out of the top 25 while USC went 11-2 over that same span and has been a fixture among the top teams in the nation.
However, for the first time all season the Trojans appear somewhat vulnerable. After dropping a 3-1 match to Washington on Nov. 15, USC was upset by Washington State 3-2 two days later after earlier leading 2-0.
The similarly upset-minded Bruins enter Wednesday’s match playing as well as they have since first facing the Trojans. UCLA dropped a competitive 3-2 match to Arizona State, but rebounded strongly against Arizona, posting the team’s first sweep over a winning team since October.
“(The Arizona) win was really much-needed for us, to keep us going on a roll and keep our positive energy going,” said freshman outside hitter Claire Felix.
In order to keep the wins going, Sealy said that the Bruins must do a better job of siding out against the Trojans. UCLA converted 58 percent of its opportunities against USC, but did so just 43 percent of the time in the match-ending fourth set. However, after a competitive month of volleyball, buoyed by their impressive showing against the Wildcats, the Bruins are looking forward to taking on their crosstown rivals once again.
“I think we can build off of (the Arizona match) and realize that we are tough, that it’s just volleyball, nothing else,” said senior outside hitter Kelly Reeves. “I’m ready for (the USC) match; I’m excited.”