UW faces off against Ohio State

The Washington volleyball team plays the most important match of its season so far tonight at Hec Ed on Friday night as it faces the 11th-seeded Ohio State in the regional semi-final.

With the most intensive part of the quarter academically arriving at the same time as the playoffs, players have to balance school and volleyball.

"It is getting really tough because you want to focus on your practice, but then you also have a final the next day and you have to study for it," said freshman Tamari Miyashiro. "Everybody is busy around this time of year, but we have this other thing too: We have to practice and watch film, and we just have to balance it all out."

The players are excited to play in front of their hometown crowd during the tournament.

"Its always fun playing in the tournament; it's a blast, and I love every minute of it," said junior Alesha Deesing. "It's great to be back here, fighting for another national title."

During this time of the year, coach Jim McLaughlin has been pushing rest on his hard working players.

"Practices are looking good; they're short and crisp," he said. "These guys are always like 'Hey, lets go,' and we just don't need that, but that's always a good sign."

The team had short practices three out of the four practices this week and McLaughlin has emphasized quality of quantity.

"Right now, we're just going over the little things. It's like ironing out the wrinkles," said junior Stevie Mussie. "We're not making any changes."

The team worked to improve a lot of the same things they have worked on all year this week. Many aspects will play a role in taking down the Buckeyes (25-7). A few of the specific things the team has been working on are hitting accuracy, side out rhythm and the old standbys of serving, passing and blocking, Miyashiro said.

"We're more worried about what we do on our side of the net, as opposed to what an opponent's going to do," Mussie said. "If we do what we're supposed to do, everything will take care of itself."

After finishing fourth in the Big Ten conference, the Buckeyes will put plenty of pressure on the Huskies from their side of the net.

Ohio State's two leading outside hitters are freshman Anna Szerszen, from France, who averages 4.35 kills per game, and junior Danielle Meyer with an average 4.26 kills per game.

Setter Marisa Main mans the helm for the team and averages 12.95 assists per game.

The team has an all-purpose threat in junior outside hitter Ami Stevens, who leads the team in aces (37) and digs (average 3.68 per game), while hitting .272.

On the defensive side of the net freshman Kristen Dozier leads OSU in blocks, averaging 1.08 per game. Freshman middle blocker Meghan Simons has also contributed .94 blocks per games on average.

As the team ventures further into the tournament, McLaughlin said he feels that physical and emotional focus plays a big role in the team's success.

"I just like where we're at mentally," McLaughlin said. "We're just staying on task, and that's a sign of being connected to the thing intellectually. It's just business as usual, and I like that."

If the work goes as planned the team will face the winner of tonight's Penn State/Purdue match in the Elite Eight and will play for the right to go to the Final Four in Omaha.

Reporter James Schleicher: jamesschleicher@thedaily.washington.edu