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Volleyball team still optimistic despite recent loss

Joshua D. Trujillo Arizona Daily Wildcat Sophomore setter Dana Burkholder sets the ball during a recent home match for the Wildcats. Burkholder and the Wildcats split a pair of matches in Northern California and have the Southern California teams, USC and UCLA, coming in this weekend in what could prove to be the most pivotal weekend series of the season.

Last Friday night's loss to the Stanford Cardinal was a near miss, if you ask UA head coach David Rubio.

"We were the better team in the first game," Rubio said of the Wildcats' 16-14 loss in game one. "We had times when we could have put them away, but didn't."

Following game one's near-miss, the Wildcats (12-5 overall, 6-3 Pacific 10 Conference) went on to score a total of six points in the following two games.

"If there were 10 things we needed to accomplish in order to beat Stanford, we did nine of them," Rubio said. "We needed to play for the name on the front of the jersey."

Rubio explained his team's inability to battle back in the second and third games.

"Good teams are able to be resilient, and we weren't," Rubio said. "We just rolled over in the next two games. Stanford's always been one of the best teams in the country."

The Wildcats did beat California on Saturday night, and that left Rubio with an optimistic feeling on the flight home.

"We're really close to being one of the best schools in the country," Rubio said. "We're taking baby steps. We know we're right there with the Stanford."

The bright spot this weekend was sophomore setter Dana Burkholder, who has been banged up recently.

"I'm very happy with the way Dana played on Saturday," Rubio said. "She was resilient and brought a lot of energy to the floor despite the fact that she's been hurting lately."

Burkholder had 31 assists and 11 digs despite hitting just .167 from the field.

The Wildcats swept California on Saturday night by the score of 15-10, 15-3 and 15-10.

In the current "Sports Illustrated for Women," the University of Arizona was ranked as the 6th-best university for women's athletics. Rubio said he wasn't surprised.

"It's really a compliment to the overall athletic department here," Rubio said. "Anytime you can get recognized for something as important as this, it's an honor."

Although happy with the ranking, Rubio thought UA could've placed better.

"I don't know what they use to judge the strength of the schools," Rubio admitted. "I mean, who's saying we're not the best school in the nation for women's athletics? We are one of the top schools, though, and that's an honor."

Stanford's Logan Tom graces the cover of this issue of "Sports Illustrated for Women." The highly-touted freshman had 16 kills and 11 digs in the victory over the UA.

This weekend's matches against USC tomorrow night and UCLA on Friday night will be one of the most pivotal home series' of the season for the Wildcats.

"This weekend's match is going to be really big," Rubio said.

Earlier in the season, the Wildcats were swept by UCLA at Pauley Pavilion in Westwood, Calif., but rebounded to defeat USC. The victory over the Trojans was Rubio's first at USC in his eight seasons at the helm.

Lisa Rutledge logged 22 kills against the Trojans, the most by a Wildcat since Keisha Johnson Demps recorded 25 against Oregon State on Nov. 16, 1997.