Huskies ready for Bruins' test
September 28, 2006
The fourth-ranked Washington volleyball players have their work cut out for them this weekend as they travel to southern California to take on conference foes No. 3 UCLA tonight and fifth-ranked USC on Friday. [HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED]"I can't wait to go to L.A.," senior Courtney Thompson said. "Every weekend in the Pac-10 is challenging, but it's always a tough road trip when we head to southern California. Also, [UCLA] is the [only] team that beat us last year."[HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED]Last season, the Bruins ended the UW's record-setting 23-match winning streak with a five-game match in which the final game had a score of 15-13. This year, both teams come to the court with winning streaks to protect. UCLA (15-0 overall, 2-0 Pac-10) is undefeated, while the Huskies (13-1 overall, 2-0 Pac-10) hope to continue a 12-match run that began with a loss to then-No. 4 Texas in the second game of the season. [HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED]The Bruins' roster has plenty of experience. Among several outstanding players, senior Nana Meriwether stands out the most. Meriwether averages 4.32 kills per game and has a nation-leading hitting percentage of .557. She also has yet to commit a service error this season. [HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED]Meriwether gets plenty of support on the front row from sophomore Ali Daley, who averages 3.4 kills per game with a .285 attack percentage herself. [HTML_REMOVED]
On the Washington side of the net, redshirt freshman Tamari Miyashiro will be depended upon as the libero to prevent the Bruins from racking up points. Miyashiro has done well in the role so far this season and leads the team in digs per game with four.[HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED]"Tama is just getting better," coach Jim McLaughlin said. "She understands her responsibility, she understands her assignments, she knows what to look at. She is becoming mechanically sound and she continues to improve. She's a fighter and she wants to be the best.[HTML_REMOVED]That kid's a tough kid."[HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED]Washington comes into the game just less than a week after sweeping then-No.6 Stanford and eighth-ranked California to open Pac-10 play. [HTML_REMOVED]
Junior Christal Morrison received honors as Pac-10 player of the week for her play in those matches. Against Stanford on Friday, Morrison had 17 kills on 46 swings with no errors, giving her a .370 hitting percentage. [HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED]"Against Stanford... going in, I was excited to play against some of my friends on the Stanford team," Morrison said. "Right before the match we focused in on what we needed to do and just went out there, got it done, and it felt good."[HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED]In the past couple of weeks, the squad has settled in with each other as a team and started to really stay focused and composed throughout the match, Morrison said. [HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED]Heading to Los Angeles, the team will also depend on support from redshirt junior Stevie Mussie and junior Alesha Deesing. Outside hitter Mussie averages 4.3 kills per game, while middle blocker Deesing leads the team in blocks with 43, giving her an average of one block per game. [HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED]"UCLA is a great team, and they have been for the last few years," Morrison said. "They have a great program built there. It's going to be a tough one. This weekend will be a full weekend again, just like last weekend."[HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED] [HTML_REMOVED]Reporter James Schleicher: jamesschleicher@thedaily.washington.edu
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