Bittersweet ending leaves young volleyball team hungry for success

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior middle blocker Keisha Johnson Demps (25) bumps the ball while freshman Jill Talbot (32) stands at the ready in the background. The Wildcats, ending their best season ever, lost to No. 1 Long Beach State Friday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

No. 1 Long Beach State ended Arizona's run in the second round of the NCAA tournament Friday night, sweeping the Wildcats in three games. The previous night, Arizona swept Fresno State in the first round.

While last season ended on a disappointing note, with a senior-laden team being upset in the first round by Oral Roberts University, this one is more of a bittersweet moment.

"You have such a different feeling about this year's finish," head coach David Rubio said. "I don't think anyone here is disappointed about where we finished. It wasn't frustrating like last year."

This season saw Marisa DaLee and Keisha Johnson Demps being named to the All-Pacific 10 Conference team and DaLee shatter the team single season hitting percentage mark of .386. She is first in the Pac-10 in that category, leading Stanford's Kerri Walsh, who has a .384 and is still playing in the tournament.

Freshman setter Dana Burkholder had 1,346 assists, a freshman record, and 309 digs. Johnson Demps led the team in kills (398) and blocks (124), and Raelene Elam led the conference with 57 service aces.

"Personally speaking, it has really motivated me to be a better coach and recruiter to take this program to the next level," Rubio said. "I think the players feel the same way because they've been given a taste of it."

Johnson Demps, a senior, was disappointed that the season came to a close early, but was pleased with the team's success this year.

"I knew that we had to play really well to win against Long Beach State, but seeing the outcome, the score didn't reflect the game," she said. "I'm disappointed in a couple of people, because a few of them could have stepped up.

"Personally, I accomplished what I wanted to," she said. "At the beginning of the year, I didn't even think we'd make it to the tournament, so I'll take it."

Rubio was proud of the way the season ended, with UA not backing down against Long Beach State.

"I felt we really grew up against Long Beach State," he said. "It was nice getting a win under our belt in the tournament, and against Long Beach, our kids really fought hard. I feel like that was a tremendous hurdle for us."

For Rubio and the players, it will be difficult to adjust to life without the day-to-day routine they've been going through over the past four months, but they are already excited for spring practice to start.

"It's an exciting time for UA volleyball with the direction the program is heading in," Rubio said. "The future is very bright, and everybody's hopeful and excited. I'm already thinking about the spring and next fall."

Bryan Rosenbaum can be reached via e-mail at Bryan.Rosenbaum@wildcat.arizona.edu.