Week Fourteen Selected Match Highlights:
There were upsets and epic battles between high-quality teams. Of course they were high-quality squads, because it's tournament time.
The Big Ten had a terrific first weekend in the Big Dance, excepting Nebraska's upset loss at home to Kansas State, 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 31-29, 22-25, 15-11). Returning the mild upset favor, Michigan took out host Stanford, 3-1, and Ohio State surprised host Tennessee, 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 15-12). Host Minnesota took out a talented but underachieving Washington squad, 3-2 (18-25, 20-25, 25-11, 25-21, 15-11).
In other Big Ten news, Purdue cruised past Morehead State and Louisville (3-0 and 3-1, respectively), Illinois smashed Central Michigan and Marquette (by identical 3-0 scores), and Penn State crushed deer-in-the-headlights foes Liberty and Delaware (also by identical 3-0 scores).
Washington's and Stanford's woes illustrated the Pac-12's generally disappointing first weekend. Cal-Berkeley got thumped by North Carolina at a neutral site (Malibu), 3-2 (25-17, 16-25, 23-25, 25-17, 15-9). Colorado State hammered streaky Oregon, in what was not an upset, in Honolulu, 3-2 (24-26, 25-21, 25-21, 15-25, 15-10). Arizona getting rolled by Michigan State, 3-1, barely deserves an asterisk since the Wildcats really didn't deserve a tourney bid.
USC and UCLA both won two matches at home, USC not losing a set in beat-downs of Yale and Tulsa while UCLA lost only one set in defeating Maryland-East Shore and a quality San Diego team.
The Big 12 had a solid weekend. Host Texas slammed Texas State and Michigan State without losing a set, as expected. Host Iowa State routed Milwaukee and Miami FL by the same 3-0 scores, a mild upset to some. Kansas State shocked Nebraska after breezing by Wichita State, a huge upset to most.
On the down side, Texas A&M was shut out by Kentucky in the second round, and Oklahoma was embarrassed by Tulsa in the first round, 3-1. For schools that really didn't belong in the Big Dance, Missouri and Baylor showed well, winning a set from Florida and MIchigan, respectively, in the first round.
The SEC lost Tennessee in the second round, but Florida and Kentucky made it through the weekend, allowing them to host their own regionals this week, a marked advantage. Kentucky had a tough match with Dayton, beating the tenacious Flyers, 3-2 (25-20, 16-25, 22-25, 25-15, 16-14).
The ACC had an interesting week, with flagship programs Miami FL and Duke falling by the wayside. On the other hand, North Carolina upset Cal-Berkeley before getting throttled by host Pepperdine, 3-0. Florida State is the sole survivor, with an easy win over Albany NY, 3-0, before an epic win over Cincinnati, 3-2 (25-23, 16-25, 25-20, 20-25, 15-13).
Before its epic loss to FSU, Cincinnati of the Big East struggled to get by Samford, 3-2 (25-17, 22-25, 25-16, 23-25, 15-9). Cardiac kids. In other conference news, a disappointing Louisville squad shut out Ball State before putting up a valiant fight against host Purdue before falling, 3-1. Marquette notched a quality win over a decent Western Kentucky team, 3-1, before getting shut out by Big Ten powerhouse Illinois.
Of the tiny conference teams in the tournament, only Delaware had a victory (3-1 over peer American) in the first round before getting humbled by Penn State, 3-0.
Of the mid-level conference teams, San Diego of the WCC beat Long Beach State, 3-1, before losing by an identical score to Pac-12 power UCLA. Another WCC school, Pepperdine, shut out both Missouri State and North Carolina. Hosting the first weekend didn't hurt. Elsewhere, Tulsa stomped Oklahoma, 3-1, before falling to host USC, 3-0. Northern Iowa shut out Niagara before falling to Florida, 3-1. Colorado State had a quality win against Oregon, 3-2, before falling to host Hawaii, 3-1.
Hawaii is the monster of the mid-level conferences (now in the WAC, next year in the Big West). My top-ranked Rainbow Wahines pummelled Northern Colorado, 3-0, before defeating a strong Colorado State squad, 3-1, at home.
NCAA Tournament Preview, Rounds 3 and 4:
Only seven of my top ten seeds made it into the second weekend of the Big Dance, but accidents happen! Top seed Hawaii has good news and bad news. The good news? The Rainbow Wahines host for the second weekend in a row. The bad news? They play third-seeded USC in the third round! It should be an epic battle. If they get by the Trojans, they should get by either Pepperdine or Kansas State in the fourth round.
Minnesota should get by Iowa State at home, but then the team should face an ultra-powerful Purdue. Is a home-court advantage enough?
Host Florida has an inconsistent Michigan squad in the third round. Which Wolverine team will show up? If the Gators get by that obstacle, they could give Big Ten power Illinois fits. Or not.
Host Kentucky has the slimmest chance of emerging from their regional with tickets to San Antonio and the Final Four. However, the Wildcats are talented, a genuine new power in volleyball. Unfortunately, they have to beat old, established powers Texas and UCLA or Penn State to move on. Expect the Bruins to give the powerful-but-vulnerable Nittany Lions trouble, in what should be an epic match. I expect Texas to advance, but the regional final should be another epic contest.
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