Volleyball hopes to secure top seed in NCAAs with tourney wins

ERIC M. JUKELEVICS/Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA junior outside hitter Lisa Rutledge attempts a block against a Stanford player during Saturday's game in McKale Center. After the loss to the Cardinal, the Wildcats' slim hopes of earning a top seed in the NCAA rest on this weekend's Four Points University Plaza Thanksgiving Classic.

The Pacific 10 Conference recognized No. 4 Arizona for its success this season by naming three players to the All-Pac-10 team yesterday.

Senior setter Dana Burkholder earned the honor for the third consecutive season, and outside hitters senior Jill Talbot and junior Lisa Rutledge were named to the team for the first time in their careers.

Junior middle blocker Stefani Saragosa earned her first All-Pac-10 honor since an honorable mention selection to the 1999 All-Freshman team.

Freshman defensive specialist Kelli Mulvany was named honorable mention All-Freshman Pac-10.

However, the Wildcats won't have long to admire their new hardware, as the Four Points University Plaza Thanksgiving Classic will take place this weekend.

Friday, the Wildcats will play host to Denver, and then will play either San Diego State or Santa Barbara on Saturday.

UA head coach David Rubio said the tournament gives the Wildcats a chance to forget about their heartbreaking five-game loss to No. 3 Stanford on Saturday.

"The Stanford match is only one match, and I have tried to tell my players that," Rubio said. "We have to learn from that match and try to get better, and I think that we will do that. Playing these matches will give us that chance."

The Wildcats are currently fourth in the nation, but Rubio said it would probably take a major upset for UA to gain a top seed in the NCAA post-season tournament.

However, if UA gets to play No. 24 UCSB Saturday, its chances will improve for a high seed because of the Banana Slugs' ranking.

Burkholder said she believes the Wildcats still deserve a top seed, even after their recent loss to Stanford.

"We are ranked fourth in the country, and we gave No. 3 Stanford a real battle," Burkholder said. "I still think that we deserve a No. 1 seed in the tournament."

Talbot said this weekend's tournament will help the team gear up for the postseason.

"Anytime you lose it is tough." Talbot said. "We are going to practice hard this week to forget about it. It will be good to play a few matches to get ready for the post season."

The Wildcats will likely rely on their All-Pac-10 honorees this weekend.

Burkholder, the 2000 Pac-10 Player of the Year, led the conference in assists with a 13.06 per game average and was sixth in hitting percentage with a .365 average.

Burkholder and former Wildcats Marisa DaLee and Barb Bell are the only other UA players to win the award three times in their careers.

Talbot finished the Pac-10 regular season second in the conference with a.433 hitting percentage to go along with her 3.37 digs per game average, good for fourth in the conference.

Rutledge led the team with a 4.00 kill per game average, also fourth in the conference.

First serve at the tournament is Friday at 7:30 p.m. in McKale.