Posted on 12/16/2006 12:45:04 PM PST by L.A.Justice
OMAHA, Neb. — All indications point to a historic showdown when Nebraska and Stanford meet today in the women’s NCAA volleyball championship.
The top-seeded teams. Marquee players on both sides of the net. The largest crowd expected to ever watch a college volleyball game.
“If we bring it, if we max out, I mean there is nobody that can beat us,” Nebraska’s Tracy Stalls said Friday, one day after propelling the Cornhuskers to the championship with 13 kills in the final two games against UCLA.
“And my hands are just sweating about it,” she said.
For the Cornhuskers, the game is about capping a season atop the rankings, and doing it in Lincoln, 60 miles from where they play their home games.
Stanford has six NCAA titles and 81 tournament wins, more than any other program.
“There have been many people who came together to make this moment a very special moment in the history of volleyball and I think it will be a moment we remember for a long time,” Stanford coach John Dunning said.
Both teams talked about building momentum toward the championship and playing better as each game passed this season.
“I think it’s going to be a battle of the heart tomorrow, for sure,” said Stanford’s Cynthia Barboza, who is trying to win the title 14 months after tearing a knee ligament during her freshman season.
Stanford’s easy win over Washington made the Cardinal look unstoppable Thursday, while Nebraska’s comeback after dropping the first game showed the Cornhuskers can adjust when opponents focus on certain players.
In the semifinal, Nebraska passed to Stalls more as UCLA anticipated Sarah Pavan’s attack and held Jordan Larson to 6 kills.
“I don’t care who you are, what type of athlete you are, that will be a different feel tomorrow night than it was last night,” Nebraska coach John Cook said.
I think women's volleyball is more watchable than women's basketball.
Only way I'm watching this is if the game is played on sand..in a 2 piece.
Paven is a studdette like no other. She had 10 kill serves in a row against UCLA in game 3. I hope Nebraska doesnt meltdown like they did last year against Washington in the final.
Agreed, even when not scantily clad, women's volleyball is more fun to watch than men's volleyball and women's basketball. Volleyball and tennis are the only sports where women's is more fun to watch...
Hot oil wrestling.
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