Spikers hit

Published: Thursday, December 8, 1994

Spikers hit

Florida in

pursuit of

NCAA title

By Eric Branch

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

GAINSVILLE, Fl. -- The UCLA women's volleyball team is fortunate the Atlantic Coast Conference is not a hotbed of volleyball talent. Five days after battling ACC co-champion Georgia Tech, the No. 3 Bruins take on fellow co-champion No. 21 Duke University (24-5 overall) today at the University of Florida in an NCAA Championship Regionals first-round match.

Excuse the Bruins (29-3) if they are not overly daunted by their upcoming test after systematically dismantling Tech, 15-7, 15-9, 15-8, in one hour and 20 minutes. Despite losing to Georgia Tech already this season, feisty Duke head coach John Wilson is not conceding anything to his heavily favored opponents.

"I think we absolutely have a chance," Wilson said. "If we felt we didn't, we'd just phone it in and give them a free trip to the finals. But we're not going to do that."

The Blue Devils have reached the Regionals on the strength of a first-round bye and a 15-11, 15-3, 15-4 second-round whipping of ACC rival Georgia. In the match against the Bulldogs, middle blockers Kristin McMahon and Adrian Nicol displayed that the strength of the Blue Devils lies in their blocking. McMahon posted four block assists and one block solo while McMahon roofed two block assists and one solo as the Devils outblocked Georgia 10 to three.

"From what we've seen, they are an excellent blocking team," UCLA head coach Andy Banachowski said. "They're also a team that refuses to beat itself. If we win, we're going to have go out and beat them."

With a starting lineup headlined by Pac-10 Player of the Year Annett Buckner, Pac-10 first teamer Alyson Randick and Pac-10 freshman first-teamer Kara Milling complemented by 1993 Pac-10 selections Jenny Johnson and Kim Krull, it is doubtful the Bruins will need too much assistance from the Blue Devils.

Barring a complete collapse, UCLA will face the winner of the Regional's other first-round match pitting No. 11 Florida against No. 17 Houston. If the favored Gators prevail, the Bruins will face the Gators in the Regional final for the right to go to the Final Four in Austin. Working in Florida's favor would be a decided home-court advantage.

"If we have to play Florida on their home-court, I think that would be a tremendous advantage for them," Banachowski said. "They are always well supported by their fans and I'm sure they would draw even more for a Regional final."

As a sidelight, UCLA sophomore setter Kelly Flannigan, a Tampa native, is preparing for a reunion, of sorts, in Gainsville. While she expects to see old faces, to label them supporters might be excessive.

"Well, I'm sure a lot of people I know will be at the matches," Flannigan said. "I don't know if I would call them fans, though."