After a remarkable Pacific-10 Conference season, eight teams were awarded spots in the NCAA Tournament: No. 4 Stanford, No. 6 Washington, No. 8 UCLA, No. 9 California, No. 14 Oregon, USC, Arizona and Washington State. The teams are evenly distributed throughout the bracket and cannot meet until later rounds. Stanford, UCLA and USC will host first and second round matches.
Stanford (21-7) vs. Long Island (21-13)
The Cardinal finished first in the Pac-10, and therefore drew the Conference’s highest seed in the NCAA Tournament. On the other side of the court in the first round will be Long Island. The Blackbirds compiled an impressive 16-0 record in the Northeast Conference this year, defeating Sacred Heart 3-0 in the championship match. Senior outside hitter Svetlana Simic leads the team with 3.99 kills per set and was named NEC Player of the Year. The Blackbirds have struggled a bit on defense with just 13.1 digs per set. Stanford is 13th in the nation with a .270 team hitting percentage, so Long Island will have to step up on defense if they are to pull an upset.
Washington (23-5) vs. Northern Colorado (21-11)
The Huskies will be hungry for a win after being upset by Oregon on Senior Day. The Bears, meanwhile, are out to prove their place among the best teams in the country. The team is coming off a 3-1 win over Portland State to win the Big Sky Championship, and has won three straight matches. Redshirt senior outside hitter Kenzie Shreeve leads Northern Colorado with 3.45 kills per set, while junior outside hitter Ashley Lichtenberg has a team-best .352 hitting percentage. The Bears may have a tough time with Washington, which is fifth in the nation with a .288 hitting percentage. Sophomore middle blocker Bianca Rowland is also third in the country with a .460 hitting percentage.
UCLA (23-8) vs. Long Beach State (22-8)
The 49ers will not have to travel far for their first round matchup with UCLA, and they will also come in with a bit of confidence. On Sept. 19, Long Beach State defeated UCLA in straight sets. As a team, the 49ers hit .398 and senior outside hitter Naomi Washington had 13 kills. UCLA hit just .120 and was outscored 75-49. The Bruins, however, are much improved since then. They have won 10 of their last 12 matches and are ranked ninth in the nation in blocks per set with 2.80.
California (18-10) vs. Lipscomb (28-3)
The Golden Bears will have their hands full with a Lipscomb team that could be very dangerous. The Lady Bisons have won 25 straight matches, including all 22 in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Junior middle blocker Alex Kelly is 17th in the nation with 4.40 kills per set, while the team as a whole is fifth in kills per set (14.9) as well as assists per set (13.92). California features the Pac-10 Player of the Year in senior outside hitter Hana Cutura, but lost its last two conference matches against Arizona and Stanford.
Washington State (18-12) vs. Northern Iowa (30-2)
Washington State could be looking at a quick exit against UNI. The Panthers went undefeated in the Missouri Valley Conference, and their win over Wichita State on Nov. 28 sealed the MVC Championship. UNI’s 18 digs per set are good for ninth in the country, and it is also fourth in kills per set (14.9). Junior libero Ellie Blankenship’s 5.87 digs per set individually rank third in the nation. On the opposite side of the net, Washington State head coach Andrew Palileo took home Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors, and the Cougars ended their regular season on a high note with a 3-2 win over Oregon State.
USC (21-9) vs. Oklahoma (18-11)
The Sooners head into their showdown with USC on a bit of a skid. They lost three straight Big 12 matches to end the season, and will now play in what is essentially a home match for the Trojans. Oklahoma is, however, 16th in the nation with 17.6 digs per set. Sophomore outside hitter Suzy Boulavsky leads the team with 3.07 kills per set, while junior middle blocker Sarah Freudenrich has a team-best .298 hitting percentage. The Trojans are peaking at exactly the right time, having won their last six matches.
Arizona (19-10) vs. Texas A&M (18-10)
The Aggies come into the tournament having won four straight, and Arizona may struggle with this team. Texas A&M is second in the country with 15.01 kills per set and 14.18 assists per set. Senior outside hitter Sarah Ammerman averages 4.23 kills per set, and freshman middle blocker Alisia Kastmo is hitting .318. The Wildcats, meanwhile, lost to USC and UCLA in their final two matches. Junior outside hitter Tiffany Owens leads the team with 3.74 kills per set.
[email protected]