Quest for Title #108: Women's Volleyball vs. Illinois NCAA National Title Game Open Thread
by Bellerophon on Dec 17, 2011 5:00 PM PST
in Other Sports
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For the first time in four years, the four-time defending national champion Penn State Nittany Lions are not playing for a women's volleyball national title. Why? Because Coach Michael Sealy and his #9-seeded UCLA women's volleyball team eliminated them on their march to this match in San Antonio.
After dispatching the Florida State Seminoles in the NCAA tournament semi-final match on Thursday evening, the ladies give us a Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl preview of sorts, in squaring off against #3-seeded Illinois in the national title match. The Fighting Illini pulled off an impressive five-set upset over #1-seeded U$C, which was led by maybe the only player better than Rachael Kidder, the sensational Alex Jupiter.
This game is for all the marbles, and for UCLA, national title #108 is on the line, a win that the Bruins desperately need to maintain their title lead over Stanford and U$C (which picked up a title by beating our men's water polo team). There's some good pre-game reading about one of the key contributors to the Bruin squad who doesn't get all the press that Rachael Kidder does, and it's Lauren Van Orden, the senior setter who transferred from SDSU, and has been masterful in directing the Bruins' offense. The official site has a good piece on her, as well as the NCAA official website here. Likewise, the NCAA has a neat story on Kelly Reeves, the only Bruin to have experience in winning a NCAA national title game before (well, sort of). The last time the ladies won a title, in 1991, Kelly's mom Jeanne was pregnant with Kelly as she roamed the sidelines as an assistant coach for the title-winning Bruins.
Turning to the match itself, the game preview on the official site is here, which also has quotes from Friday's press conference here. The game gets underway at the Alamodome at 5:30 p.m. PST and will be broadcast on ESPN2. You can also watch it online at ESPN3.com, or if you can't do that, you can track it with the Gametracker here.
Go get 'em ladies and bring the 108th blue-and-gold title banner back to Westwood
GO BRUINS
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Getting ready by watching the beginning of Bringing up Baby
Makes me laugh more than any movie ever made!
Go Bruins!
I tuned in for a bit...
…but then Illinois went on a run. I turned it off and we went on a run.
So yeah, I’m going to just go by LA Bruin’s updates.
Wow if this first set is any indication
we’re in for a helluva match
volleyball
watching any volleyball game gives me more chest pains than watching our football team
The Illini are known for coming back from behind, so we have to keep up the pressure.
They played an amazing match against $UC.
A true Bruin.
I had my tonsils removed at UCLA when I was 7. They experimented on me with a new gas. I guess it worked.
Been a Bruin since birth
It's the server's preference
And perhaps the way the other team sets up.
Smart play in there by Kidder.
It appeared the Bruins had two almost simultaneous touches and she dumped it over the net.
Been a Bruin since birth
Normally don't watch volleyball...
but this is quality. Each point hard fought on both sides.
My two favorite teams are UCLA and whoever is playing $C.
Same here, I don't watch much volleyball
this is exciting though, if not a little nerve wracking at how close it is
and a CBH time out called
time to stop the bleeding
My two favorite teams are UCLA and whoever is playing $C.
No...
this isn’t football!
Now, have a defibrilator ready, though.
My two favorite teams are UCLA and whoever is playing $C.
Well...A championship match should go the distance
Damn, both teams are good.
My two favorite teams are UCLA and whoever is playing $C.
All I can say is that either team that loses this thing should not hang their head.
They are both playing great and only one team can win.
Been a Bruin since birth
I wonder if
DG is in the stands with cowboy boots and a satin powder blue suit
Gettin' butterflies. Is something wrong with me?
This isn’t football or basketball.
Been a Bruin since birth
Could the announcer be any worse?
She’s a babbler. She’s supposed to call the game.
Nice get for the Bruins.
From Sacramento and could have easily gone to Stanford.
Been a Bruin since birth
I played at UCD before transferring.
Not good enough for UCLA
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
I am a Bruin - always was
but would have like it to be closer.
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
Beach only
I’m such a geezer, there was no hs volleyball when I was there (North Hollywood).
I was only so so and no where near this level.
But one of my team mates went on to win a championship at suc and was on the olympic team that didn’t get to go to the USSR.
Go Bruins!
We have match up probs on the right side. Need to take more line.
12 pack!!!!!!!!!!! Kidder
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
Way to fight back
from the bad start to the set, and the 2 set points!!
Poise ladies. FINISH!
YES
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
but nightengale is a SOLO MONSTER
SHE’s riding SOLO, she’s riding solo
Come on men's team
get some inspiration from this!
https://twitter.com/#!/LamboMars/status/148230230757228545
or we can just blame DG
Probably couldn’t arrange transportation to major events if his life depended on it.
You know, Texas probably figured this would be their tournament
Austin’s a couple hours away. We spoiled it for the Horns.
Football item
Huffman Twitter: Ontario (Calif.) Colony cornerback Bryan Harper has decommitted from Washington…recruited by Demtrius Martin….anyone know this kid?
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
Following thread at work
Hard to pay attention here!
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
Great job
One more!!! U want a ring…for them.
Do it for my college years 87-91.
by Bruin15 on Dec 17, 2011 7:33 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Actually it was Andy B best years.
Al only one I think for him it was a low period.
by Bruin15 on Dec 17, 2011 7:48 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
it's fine
serving error was what we called em
You must be a tennis player.
My dad played tennis for Illinois. But I’ve always been a bruin (as has my mother!). Sorry dad.
Go Bruins!
Impressive
Win or lose, I’m very impressed with the passion and intensity on display by the Bruins. I wish some of our more high profile Men’s teams played with this much juice.
No kidding
I hope some of them are watching.
"Error" if i helps.
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
Illini have shot themselves in the foot...
Don’t expect that to last. Stay strong, ladies!
My two favorite teams are UCLA and whoever is playing $C.
Karchy
Easily one of the best Bruins EVER!
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
Al Scates: one of the Great Bruin Coaching Legends!!!!
by BruinDan32 on Dec 17, 2011 7:37 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
when did they do that?
I was wondering if I was getting senile or something.
Ebb and flow. Lot of ball to play.
We look good.
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
Probably lots of Texans
Who bought tix expecting to see UT
They are serving tougher,
don’t know if it’ll pay off though considering the number of errors
Ouch Phonebooth
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
The rankings and the RPI were completely different
SC was ranked 1, Texas was seeded 1. We were 1 during the season, and so was Illinois.
Toolio iglesias!
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
Kidder from the backrow - sick!
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
come on!
don’t make this even more nerve wracking!
DAMN!!! That was nasty
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
Whoever is women's AD
should replace Guerrero
Back where we belong! Nice win, ladies.
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
been mighty long
let’s never allow that to happen again
Congrats, Bruins!
Hail to the Hills of Westwood.
Nice win for the Lady Bruins!
Don’t understand volleyball at all but really enjoyed watching that.
Go Bruins!
Now you've learned
So when we repeat next year, you’ll understand it all
Here's hoping to a repeat..
Apparently the Bruins repeated as national champs in women’s volleyball 1990-1991..
Go Bruins!
A lot of good young talent
And a championship doesn’t hurt recruiting
im real happy she chose UCLA
shes pretty…….
YES!!! Congrats, Ladies
Very close match through 3 sets…great poise is set 3.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Was watching, but didn’t want to jinx it by commenting. WAY TO GO LADIES!
Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I tweeted my followers to ask which I should take
by Ryan Rosenblatt on Dec 17, 2011 7:58 PM PST reply actions
Got ESPN3 on now to see the trophy presentation
This never gets old
Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I tweeted my followers to ask which I should take
by Ryan Rosenblatt on Dec 17, 2011 8:03 PM PST reply actions
Look at this Tweet Pure Class1
CoachNeuheisel Rick Neuheisel
Congratulations @UCLAWomensVB! Tremendous effort by all involved!
by FanofBruins on Dec 17, 2011 8:03 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
I'd listen to what Rick has to say about UCLA
but I don’t give a sh*t as to what DG has to say about anything, much less about UCLA
+1
Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I tweeted my followers to ask which I should take
by Ryan Rosenblatt on Dec 17, 2011 8:05 PM PST up reply actions
Feels so good to win for once...
…I don’t remember this feeling.
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