By Kristen Davis
Arizona Daily Wildcat
November 26, 1997

Waiting game begins for volleyball team

Facing defending champion Stanford on the road is tough, but for the UA volleyball team being patient until Sunday to see how the NCAA Tournament brackets turn out, is nerve racking.

Unlike two seasons ago, though, the Wildcats are not on the bubble.

However, that doesn't mean it is time to sit back and celebrate compiling its best conference mark in school history at 12-6.

"The next three days, as far as I'm concerned, are just as important as the first three days of practice in August," Rubio said. "My approach is that we have three days to get better."

The team is practicing through today, then gets three days off for the holiday.

"They're all looking forward to a break. Mentally, the girls need one," Rubio said. "Getting refreshed and rejuvenated has always worked in the past."

The NCAA will announce the field and event sites for the single-elimination tournament Sunday at 4:30 p.m. Arizona time. The team will learn the site and opponent for its first-round match when they watch the 30-minute selection show via satellite before an evening practice. The show will not be broadcast in Arizona.

Last year the Wildcats slumped at the start of the season but finished strong and played the first round in San Diego before losing to Pacific in the second round.

"Last year we didn't really care (where or who we were playing). We felt fortunate just to be there. This year there's more focus on how far we can go in the tourney," said Rubio. "The question is, can we take each match one at a time and see how far we g o. Put into the right region, we can go as far as the Final Four."

Rubio said he feels the South is the ideal region to play in because traditionally there have not been as many strong teams there.

Rubio was skeptical, however, of predicting where this Arizona squad would be placed.

"Let me begin by stating that every time I have speculated, my speculations have been wrong," he said. "But I would speculate that we'll be in the West somewhere."

The one thing the Wildcats want to avoid is being forced to meet a Pacific 10 Conference opponent early in the tournament. Rubio said the team sees enough of those teams during the season. Setter Michaela Ebben just likes the spontaneity of playing a non- conference team.

"It's more exciting to see different teams. I like seeing new faces," she said. "They don't know what we do and we don't know what they do so it makes the match a more fair competition."

1997 All-Pac-10 Women's Volleyball Team

Erin Aldrich, ARIZ.(SO.) MB/OH Makare Desilets, WASH.(SR.)

Kristin Folkl, STAN.(SR.) OH

Barbara Ifeljika, STAN.(SR.) MB

Jennifer Kessy, USC (JR.) OH

Jasmine Marinkovic, USC (JR.) MB

Kara Milling, UCLA (SR.) OH

Carrie Penfield, ARIZ.(SR.) OH

Lisa Sharpley, STAN.(SR.) S/OH Jennifer Stinson, WASH. ST.(JR.) OH

Leslie Tuiasosopo, WASH.(JR) Q

Kerri Walsh, STAN.(SO.) MB/OH

UA honorable mention selections:

Michaela Ebben, senior setter

Michelle Fanger, senior outside hitter

Allison Napier, freshman outside hitter