Stanford lets a win
slip as Penn State and Wisconsin punch Final 4 tickets
OLGARD IN LINEUP?
 |
| Alexis Olgard (1) blocks against Krista Vansant (16) earlier this season |
USC defeated BYU Friday night despite the absence of all-conference
middle Alexis Olgard’s from the lineup. Volleyblog
Seattle’s sources in Los Angeles tell us that Olgard approached the USC
coaching staff before the match to tell them she was unable to play. No reason
has been released, and we have no indication whether she’ll be on the court
tonight against Washington. Olgard, a senior, played her high school volleyball
at Mead High in Spokane.
STANFORD LETS ONE GET AWAY
Only one Pac-12 team will reach the Final Four (Washington
or USC) after Stanford booted a great chance to knock off Penn State. Stanford
led 9-6 in the fifth set when Brittany Howard tipped instead of swinging away,
starting a 6-0 Penn State run. Stanford’s Rachel Williams melted late, as she
was blocked several times down the stretch. By contrast, Penn State hit hard at
every opportunity. Williams and Carly Wopat played their final college matches.
WISCONSIN DEFEATS PURDUE
The Badgers became the second Big Ten team to reach the 2013
Final Four, beating conference foe Purdue 3-1. Wisconsin’s leading hitter—with 20
kills on 63 attempts—was Deme Morales. Why is that worth noting? Morales is 5
feet, 7 inches tall … an inch shorter than Washington’s Cassie Strickland.
If Nebraska defeats Texas tonight, the Huskers will face
Wisconsin in the semifinals. The two schools met in the 2000 NCAA Championship.
Nebraska had a first-year coach—who had just left the head coaching job at
Wisconsin. The Huskers won the title, and the coach was … John Cook.
Photos courtesy Shutter
Geeks Photography
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