October 26, 2007

Pacific aiming for NCAAs

By Jason Anderson
Record Staff Writer

STOCKTON - Kara Uhl can see it now.

The crowning achievement for Pacific women's volleyball coach Charlie Wade, the fitting farewell for seniors Julie Magud and Johanna Hilbers, the postseason experience Uhl herself has coveted since she was a freshman in 2004.

"Most girls on the team haven't been able to experience the NCAA Tournament," said Uhl, a redshirt junior outside hitter. "That's something I absolutely loved. I feed off of that. I want to feel that again."

Uhl might have her chance.

The Tigers will play first-place Cal Poly at 7 p.m. today at Mott Gym. Pacific (13-5, 6-3 Big West) handed the No. 24-ranked Mustangs (14-7, 8-1) their only conference loss on Sept. 29 at Spanos Center. If the season ended today, that victory combined with wins over Loyola Marymount and Oregon State might put the fourth-place Tigers into the NCAA Tournament, despite their loss to third-place UC Irvine.

Cal Poly coach John Stevenson described the Tigers as "a physically talented group" that benefited from the addition of junior setter Shannon Krug and freshman outside hitter Svenja Engelhardt.

"(Engelhardt) is going to be good for years to come," Stevenson said in his weekly video conference on Oct. 1.

The word is out. The Tigers are good, and may be getting better.

Wade made a lineup change on Sept. 28 that has produced impressive results. After replacing Uhl with Engelhardt, Wade put Uhl back into the lineup in place of sophomore middle blocker Masha Vaysburg, going to a conventional three-outside hitter attack. The Tigers have hit .281 in eight matches since the change after hitting .212 in their first 10.

"We're excited about the second half of the season," Wade said. "We can see improvement, and see improvement on the horizon."

The Tigers are two games behind Cal Poly, one game behind Long Beach State and a half-game behind UC Irvine. The Big West could send three teams to the NCAA Tournament, just as it did in 2006. The Tigers might have been a lock had they not blown a two-game lead at home against Long Beach State or lost to Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine on the road.

Pacific probably can afford road losses to Cal Poly and Long Beach State. The five other remaining conference matches will be critical. They must avenge the loss to UC Irvine at home on Nov. 3, just as they did last weekend against Cal State Fullerton.

"A loss would have been really damaging and put us in a position to have to do some crazy stuff - maybe even win out," Wade said after beating the Titans. "We really needed that win."

That win and seven more would get Pacific to the 20-win mark and, in all likelihood, the NCAA Tournament.

The Tigers still have road matches at Cal Poly today, UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, a nonconference contest on Tuesday against San Jose State, Cal State Northridge on Nov. 9, and Long Beach State on Nov. 10. They will play UC Riverside, UC Irvine and UC Davis at home before concluding the regular season against Fresno State and either Saint Mary's or Cincinnati on Nov. 23-24 at the Bankers Classic.

The Tigers haven't made a postseason appearance since their streak of 24 consecutive NCAA Tournaments ended in 2005. Some of them dreamed of a triumphant return this season after finishing 8-21 in 2006, but they aren't just dreaming anymore.

"Every girl on this team has a lot of heart," Uhl said. "And we all know how to fight for what we want."

Today's match

Pacific at No. 24 Cal Poly

First serve: 7 p.m., Mott Gym

Records: Pacific 13-5, 6-3 Big West; Cal Poly 14-7, 8-1