Illinois, UCLA to Meet for NCAA Division I Title

Bill Kauffman
Associate Director, Communications
Phone: 719-228-6800
Email: bill.kauffman@usav.org

Video Highlights: UCLA-FSU * Ill-USC

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 15, 2011) – UCLA advanced to its first NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship title match since 1994 by defeating Florida State University on Thursday evening in San Antonio’s Alamodome, while University of Illinois edged University of Southern California to prevent an all-Los Angeles and Pac-12 title match.

UCLA (28-6) toppled Florida State (28-6) 25-16, 25-17, 25-21 in the opening semifinal, while Illinois (31-4) rallied for a 25-27, 25-18, 25-22, 18-25, 15-10 victory over USC (29-4) as the Fighting Illini were playing in the first NCAA semifinal in 23 years. Illinois is seeded third in the NCAA Tournament, while UCLA is seeded ninth in the tournament and ranked No. 4 in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll.

USC, which was aiming for its fourth NCAA title and first since back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003, was seeded seventh in the tournament and No. 1 in the latest AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll. The Women of Troy have now lost in the NCAA semifinals forthe second consecutive year. Florida State held the No. 12 seed in the tournament.

Illinois will be playing in its first NCAA volleyball title match when it battles UCLA on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET at the Alamodome. UCLA will attempt to earn its fourth NCAA title and first since 1991. Overall, the Bruins have reached the title match for the eighth time. The title match will air on ESPN2.

With four-time defending champion Penn State losing in the NCAA regional semifinals to UCLA, a new champion will be crowned for the first time since 2006.

Rachael Kidder paced UCLA with 22 points, including 21 kills with a .462 hitting efficiency, to go with 12 digs and block solo. Tabi Love chipped 12 kills and a block assist in the victory, while teammate Lauren Van Orden provided 43 assists leading to a .328 Bruin hitting efficiency, four kills on six attacks, eight digs and three block assists. Kelly Reeves totaled 11 points with seven kills on 17 swings, three aces, two block assists and 10 digs.

Florida State was led by Jekaterina Stepanova’s 11 kills and one block assist. Ashley Neff charted seven kills with a .400 hitting efficiency, two block solos and three block assists.

UCLA’s defense held Florida State to a .173 team hitting efficiency as the Bruins out-dug the Seminoles 54-44. UCLA also held a 5-2 edge in aces.

The Bruins’ offense was on fire the first two sets. In the opening period, UCLA out-attacked Florida State .400 to .184. The Bruin defense stifled the Seminoles to a .114 hitting efficiency in the middle set while the offense managed a .357 hitting efficiency.

In the second semifinal, the hitting combination of Colleen Ward and Michelle Bartsch led Illinois to the victory. Ward scored 27 kills on 71 attacks along with 22 digs. Bartsch executed 22 kills on 58 swings to go with 22 digs and four block assists. Annie Luhrsen set the Fighting Illini to a .279 team hitting efficiency with 66 assists to go with 11 digs and three kills. Jennifer Beltran contributed 32 digs and five assists from her libero position, while Liz McMahon tacked on 10 kills and six block assists. Erin Johnson smacked 12 kills on 22 attacks to go with seven block assists.

Alex Jupiter scored a match-high 33.5 points with 32 kills on 83 attacks, a block solo, block assists and 12 digs. Lauren Williams tallied 18 kills on 29 attacks, while Katie Fuller provided 11 kills. Natalie Hagglund was credited with 31 assists, while Kendall Bateman turned in 65 assists, 13 digs and four block assists.

Illinois held USC to a .233 hitting efficiency for the night.

Illinois trailed 9-8 in the fifth set, but rolled off seven of the final eight points for the 15-10 victory. McMahon tallied a kill and block assist, while Bartsch turned in two kills in the set’s final eight points.

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