The UCLA women’s volleyball team started off Pac-10 conference play on the wrong foot. The Bruins lost to crosstown rival USC on Sept. 24 in four sets, setting the tone for what appears to be a season that will test who they are and how much they can accomplish.
In the loss to the Trojans, the Bruins exemplified what coach Mike Sealy has been preaching to the team throughout its preseason run. At times, No. 12 UCLA looked great, like when it won the second set 25-19, only to fall apart in the very next set and lose 16-25. Sealy has referred to his team as having two different identities: one that can win and play well, and another that is average.
“In glimpses we do good things ““ it’s just trying to do those good things more often,” Sealy said.
This duality that is attached to the team will be even more important to shake off if the Bruins hope to fare well in a Pac-10 conference that has six teams ranked in the top 25, according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association rankings. Of those six teams, four are ranked in the top 10, including No. 1 Stanford.
“Every game is going to be cutthroat, going for the kill and blood, and we better be ready to play every single match,” senior outside hitter Dicey McGraw said.
Sealy and the Bruins will not let the daunting schedule get in the way of their game preparation. Rather, Sealy insisted that there are more important things for his team to focus on.
“We are going to work on ourselves first,” Sealy said. “If we put any time and inkling into those opponents right now, we’re going to be overlooking a ton of things we have to work on.”
The motto around the team has been “one game at a time,” and the Bruins take that motto to heart.
“Literally every single team is good in the conference, so I don’t think it would be very smart to look ahead to all the teams,” junior middle blocker Katie Camp said. “I think it’s a good strategy.”
After coasting through preseason play with a 10-1 record, the Bruins have shown that they can handle what most teams throw at them.
But the Pac-10 is a different story and on a whole other level of difficulty.
The frustrating loss to the Women of Troy shows that the Bruins will have to figure out which team they really are if they are to have a successful 2010 season.