By
Kamy Shaygan
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Baylor, New Mexico State, Santa Clara invade McKale
With team intensity level at a new high, the Arizona women's volleyball team hosts their first tournament of the season this weekend at the 17th annual Starwoods Plaza Wildcat Classic at the McKale Center.
UA head coach David Rubio has been increasing the level of intensity in his practices this weekend in preparation for the home opener.
"What I'm trying to do is not let our team get complacent," Rubio said. "I want to create a sense of urgency so that we play with more intensity throughout practice."
Starting junior outside hitter Jill Talbot is also pleased with Rubio's philosophy during practices.
"Dave really wants to increase the level of intensity in our practices," she said. "He doesn't want to accept mediocrity. I think it's good and I don't think we should accept anything less than that."
The Wildcats will try and use their new-found intensity this weekend as the team hosts New Mexico State, Santa Clara, and No. 19 Baylor.
All three opponents will likely mirror the style of play of the University of San Diego, the team which the No. 14 Wildcats defeated in four games last weekend at the 'Diggin' It' 2000 Tournament.
"Those teams are a lot like USD by being very fundamentally sound," Rubio said.
The Aggies (2-2 overall) return three starters from a 1999 team that went 15-15 overall. NMSU defeated Louisiana-Lafayette and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi last weekend at the Cardinal Classic in Beaumont, Texas.
"New Mexico (State) is an up-and-coming program," Rubio said. "They are a little on demand against us."
The Santa Clara Broncos (2-0 overall) are led by senior Amy Kohl, who was named MVP last weekend at the PowerBar Invitational in Boulder, Colo., after recording 27 kills in the tournament finals against Colorado.
"Santa Clara is a veteran team and they have returned every starter from last year's squad," Rubio said.
Baylor - the highest-ranked of Arizona's opponents - may pose the biggest challenge to the Wildcats.
"Whoever we play we should beat regardless of the rankings," senior outside hitter Allison Napier said.
Baylor is 4-0 this season after dominating the Rice Tournament last weekend in Houston.
For starting senior middle blocker Marisa DaLee, who the team faces is irrelevant as long as the outcome - a Wildcat win - is the same.
"We are looking at all the teams the same," she said.
Arizona will rely on the duo of DaLee and junior setter Dana Burkholder to run their high-powered offense.
Both players were named to the 'Diggin' It' 2000 All-Tournament team last weekend.
Burkholder recorded her second career triple-double against San Diego with a 10 kill, 54 assist, 10 dig performance. Her effort en route to a victory was just the 19th triple-double in UA program history.
DaLee set a career high with 24 kills against San Diego and hit an impressive .471 with 52 kills in the team's three matches last season.
Regardless of who the team faces, the Wildcats need to rise to Rubio's expectations in order to win the Starwoods Plaza Wildcat Classic.
"I think that we are going to have to play well to come out on top," Rubio said.
UA will face New Mexico State at 12:30 p.m. and Baylor at 7 p.m. on Saturday followed with a 2 p.m. contest against Santa Clara on Sunday.
