First up for UCLA women’s volleyball: LIU Brooklyn.
The No. 12 seed Bruins will host the Blackbirds in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Division I women’s volleyball championship.
UCLA played LIU Brooklyn earlier this season on Aug. 30 at the Concourse Hotel at LAX Classic, in which the Bruins claimed a three-set win (25-17, 25-13, 28-26). Even earlier, the Bruins hosted and beat the Blackbirds back in 2012 in the first round of the NCAA tournament (25-13, 25-15, 25-12), so this will be their second time facing the Blackbirds as their first opponent in the tournament.
LIU Brooklyn is the undefeated champion in the Northeast Conference (14-0, 25-6 overall) and therefore earned an automatic postseason bid. The Blackbirds have appeared in the NCAA tournament nine times, and their last appearance was in 2013. This is their third straight year, while the Bruins did not qualify for the 2013 tournament. Although the team has won both times against LIU Brooklyn, it will focus on each team as it comes.
“Don’t look too much into previous matches. Brand-new team and a clean slate.” said junior libero Karly Drolson.
UCLA will focus on its performance and not be distracted by its previous games with the upcoming opponent.
“The biggest thing is not underestimating any team, because we have played them before,” said senior middle blocker Zoë Nightingale. “We really need to focus on each game.”
The first round will be a matchup of Long Beach State and San Diego on Friday at 5:30 p.m., followed by UCLA versus LIU Brooklyn at 8 p.m. The winners of each first round will compete in Saturday’s match at 7 p.m. The single winner of this weekend’s set of games will earn a place in the Louisville Regional on Dec. 12 and 13.
The team is looking forward to hosting the game at Pauley Pavilion as it prepares for the first set of games in the tournament.
“We are really excited. We had a good practice today and we have few more days to keep practicing,” Drolson said. “I think we are feeling good.”
Long Beach State has had 25 tournament appearances. UCLA has a 57-19 record against Long Beach State, and four wins in five NCAA tournament meetings.
As for San Diego, it has had 18 appearances and this is its fifth straight appearance. UCLA has a 7-0 record and 3-0 in the NCAA tournament against San Diego.
“We just need to be us, playing like how we played – no more, no less,” said coach Mike Sealy.
Email Song at jsong@media.ucla.edu.