Last week, in the second round of the 2000 NCAA women's volleyball tournament, BYU avenged a loss earlier in the season to Utah State.
Can the third-seeded Cougars pull a similar trick out of their hat at 4 p.m. today when they face second-seeded Arizona in the Central Region semifinals at Lincoln, Neb.?
The Wildcats (27-4), currently ranked No. 5 in the nation, defeated the Cougars (26-6) in four games last September in Provo. Still, No. 12 BYU, riding a 13-match winning streak, is not the same squad it was when it fell to Arizona.
"Having a season under our belt is the main factor," said BYU coach Elaine Michaelis. "We've had a freshman setter (Karina Puikkonen) all year. We played Arizona very early in the season. We're different, because we now have an offense that is a little more consistent than it was. We have much more experience in that position, as well as other positions. We are just a better team because of the experience that a season gives you."
"Any time that you play a team earlier in the year that is as physically talented as they are with a young setter, the learning curve is much greater," said Arizona coach David Rubio. "As they played throughout the season, the players improved. I expect them to be much different than they were three months ago."
If nothing else, these two teams know each other pretty well. "I don't think there's going to be any secrets," Rubio said. "There's always that element of familiarity when you've seen a team before."
"I think it gives us a good perspective of the quality of team that they are," Michaelis said of Arizona. "They have a very good record, and they played very well against us the first time. We know what we're up against. We have a lot of respect for them because of that meeting. It helps us to know their personnel and be a little more prepared this time."
In today's second match, top-ranked Nebraska takes on Ohio State at 6:30 p.m. The winners will meet for the Central Region championship at 7 p.m. Saturday with a berth in next week's Final Four at stake.
Arizona is the Pac-10 co-champion. The Wildcats boast outside hitters Allison Napier and Lisa Rutledge and middle blocker Marisa LaDee. Each averages more than three kills per game.
"It's really difficult to block the scheme they have because of the strength of their middle and right-side attack," Michaelis said. "It's difficult to contain all of those options. They have strong people all around, including an excellent setter. It's defensively a real challenge to play them."
Junior setter Dana Burkholder also could pose challenges for the Cougars. "I've been a fan of Dana's since she was in club ball," Michaelis said. "She's a great competitor. She's real athletic, she knows the game and she's intelligent. We have a lot of respect for her. She's a factor in their offense as well, so you have to not forget about her as an option when it comes to defending that team."
Rubio said he was impressed with BYU's style of play.
"They're very, very physical. I think they have one of the best middle-attacking blockers, Nina Puikkonen, in the country," he said. "She's so talented. They're a very well-balanced team. They don't sub a lot, like we do. All their players are complete and polished. They're big. They match up well with us. I think it's a match that's going to be determined on ball control and who makes the least errors."
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