Post by GatorVball on Dec 9, 2005 15:20:46 GMT -5
By BRANDON ZIMMERMAN
Sun sports writer
OMAHA, Neb. - The Florida Gators will walk into NCAA volleyball history tonight.
The largest crowd in collegiate volleyball history is expected to be awaiting the eighth-seeded Gators (32-2) when they face No. 9 Louisville tonight at 6 p.m. in the NCAA volleyball regional semifinals.
More than 13,500 tickets had been sold in the 15,000-seat arena as of Thursday for today's doubleheader, which includes No. 16 UCLA (20-10) facing top-ranked host Nebraska (30-1) at 8 p.m.
The winners meet Saturday at 6 p.m. with a berth in the final four at stake.
The largest crowd to watch an NCAA match was 13,194 at the 1998 national title match between Long Beach and Penn State.
That record will fall tonight. The Gators say they are looking forward to the large audience.
"It's going to be pretty crazy," setter Angie McGinnis said. "I expect it to be pretty wild in there."
For out-of-towners Florida and Louisville, tonight's crowd will be somewhat of a spectacle. For those in this volleyball-crazed state, it's nothing new.
"The analogy would be that Indiana has its basketball. Florida has its football. And in Nebraska, it's all about volleyball," Florida coach Mary Wise said. "The only other place in our country that's comparable is Hawaii."
At least the weather is warm in Hawaii. The Gators arrived Wednesday night and were greeted by snowfall and a sub-zero wind chill. Fortunately, it will be much warmer inside the Qwest Center.
"Good thing we're an indoor sport," Wise said.
But with the large crowds comes nerves and pressure. And how the Gators and Cardinals handle that atmosphere could factor into the outcome. Louisville coach Leonid Yelin understands that.
"The biggest crowd we've played in front of was in 1996 when we played in a tournament in Hawaii with 10,000 people," Yelin said. "And I could see how it intimidated many of our players. So, it's really big."
The biggest crowd the Cardinals have played in front of this year is 2,597 at Notre Dame on Oct. 29. Florida has twice played host to crowds over 4,000 in the O'Connell Center this season and also played three matches at the cavernous Alamodome in San Antonio.
Florida senior Jane Collymore is one player who has performed on the big stage. Collymore played in front of a crowd over 6,000 at the 2002 final four in New Orleans and a crowd over 7,000 in the 2003 national title match in Dallas.
"I love playing in environments where we have a lot of support, the people really understand the sport of volleyball and are passionate about it," Collymore said. "It's a great environment."
Most of the support this weekend is coming from the Husker faithful. The support for Nebraska volleyball is so strong the school is able to host this weekend's regionals an hour away from its Lincoln campus.
Wise knows first hand the passion Nebraska fans have for the sport. She tasted it when the Gators lost 3-2 to Nebraska in the 2001 NCAA regional semifinals in Lincoln. The match was played in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,134 at the volleyball-only Nebraska Coliseum.
"It's not just numbers. People in Nebraska know volleyball," Wise said. "They support their team but they also appreciate good volleyball."
The big crowd will bring one element of uncertainty tonight. Will the pro-Nebraska crowd be cheering for Florida or Louisville? One thing the Gators do know: If they face the Huskers on Saturday night, it will be a very unfriendly atmosphere for them.
"It will be very hostile," Florida middle blocker Kisya Killingsworth said. "Everything is against us. Nobody wants us to win. That's the mindset you have to have going in."
NOTES:Florida is looking to advance to the regional final for the 12th time in the last 15 seasons. The Gators will have to get past Louisville to do so, as the Cardinals stand as the highest ranked team UF has ever faced in the regional semifinals. Florida is 22-13 against ranked teams in the NCAA Championship under coach Mary Wise, including 1-0 in 2005 after beating No. 24 Kansas State 3-0 last Friday.
# REGIONAL SEMIFINALSWHO: No. 9 Louisville (30-2) vs. No. 8 Florida (32-2), 6 p.m.; No. 16 UCLA (20-10) vs. No. 1 Nebraska (30-1), 8 p.m.
# WHERE: Qwest Center, Omaha, Neb.
# ON AIR: AM-850/Free Gatorvision online via Gatorzone.com
# BreakdownFlorida takes on one of the biggest teams it has faced all year in Louisville. The Cardinals' top two outside hitters are 6-foot-4 Russian Ana Yartseva and 6-3 Lena Ustymenko of Ukraine. Overall, Louisville has seven players on its roster standing 6-3 or taller.
"They're huge," Florida coach Mary Wise said. "They're one of the elite-level blocking teams in the country. They can score points in bunches because they are a big-time serving team and a big-time blocking team."
Both of Louisville's losses this season came to Notre Dame, which, coincidently, also defeated Florida. The Gators hope to combat Louisville's height with experience. Florida is looking to advance to its fourth regional final in five years. The Gators are 5-0 against the Cardinals and 3-0 under Wise. The teams haven't met since 2001 when UF swept the Cardinals 3-0 in Gainesville.
Sun sports writer
OMAHA, Neb. - The Florida Gators will walk into NCAA volleyball history tonight.
The largest crowd in collegiate volleyball history is expected to be awaiting the eighth-seeded Gators (32-2) when they face No. 9 Louisville tonight at 6 p.m. in the NCAA volleyball regional semifinals.
More than 13,500 tickets had been sold in the 15,000-seat arena as of Thursday for today's doubleheader, which includes No. 16 UCLA (20-10) facing top-ranked host Nebraska (30-1) at 8 p.m.
The winners meet Saturday at 6 p.m. with a berth in the final four at stake.
The largest crowd to watch an NCAA match was 13,194 at the 1998 national title match between Long Beach and Penn State.
That record will fall tonight. The Gators say they are looking forward to the large audience.
"It's going to be pretty crazy," setter Angie McGinnis said. "I expect it to be pretty wild in there."
For out-of-towners Florida and Louisville, tonight's crowd will be somewhat of a spectacle. For those in this volleyball-crazed state, it's nothing new.
"The analogy would be that Indiana has its basketball. Florida has its football. And in Nebraska, it's all about volleyball," Florida coach Mary Wise said. "The only other place in our country that's comparable is Hawaii."
At least the weather is warm in Hawaii. The Gators arrived Wednesday night and were greeted by snowfall and a sub-zero wind chill. Fortunately, it will be much warmer inside the Qwest Center.
"Good thing we're an indoor sport," Wise said.
But with the large crowds comes nerves and pressure. And how the Gators and Cardinals handle that atmosphere could factor into the outcome. Louisville coach Leonid Yelin understands that.
"The biggest crowd we've played in front of was in 1996 when we played in a tournament in Hawaii with 10,000 people," Yelin said. "And I could see how it intimidated many of our players. So, it's really big."
The biggest crowd the Cardinals have played in front of this year is 2,597 at Notre Dame on Oct. 29. Florida has twice played host to crowds over 4,000 in the O'Connell Center this season and also played three matches at the cavernous Alamodome in San Antonio.
Florida senior Jane Collymore is one player who has performed on the big stage. Collymore played in front of a crowd over 6,000 at the 2002 final four in New Orleans and a crowd over 7,000 in the 2003 national title match in Dallas.
"I love playing in environments where we have a lot of support, the people really understand the sport of volleyball and are passionate about it," Collymore said. "It's a great environment."
Most of the support this weekend is coming from the Husker faithful. The support for Nebraska volleyball is so strong the school is able to host this weekend's regionals an hour away from its Lincoln campus.
Wise knows first hand the passion Nebraska fans have for the sport. She tasted it when the Gators lost 3-2 to Nebraska in the 2001 NCAA regional semifinals in Lincoln. The match was played in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,134 at the volleyball-only Nebraska Coliseum.
"It's not just numbers. People in Nebraska know volleyball," Wise said. "They support their team but they also appreciate good volleyball."
The big crowd will bring one element of uncertainty tonight. Will the pro-Nebraska crowd be cheering for Florida or Louisville? One thing the Gators do know: If they face the Huskers on Saturday night, it will be a very unfriendly atmosphere for them.
"It will be very hostile," Florida middle blocker Kisya Killingsworth said. "Everything is against us. Nobody wants us to win. That's the mindset you have to have going in."
NOTES:Florida is looking to advance to the regional final for the 12th time in the last 15 seasons. The Gators will have to get past Louisville to do so, as the Cardinals stand as the highest ranked team UF has ever faced in the regional semifinals. Florida is 22-13 against ranked teams in the NCAA Championship under coach Mary Wise, including 1-0 in 2005 after beating No. 24 Kansas State 3-0 last Friday.
# REGIONAL SEMIFINALSWHO: No. 9 Louisville (30-2) vs. No. 8 Florida (32-2), 6 p.m.; No. 16 UCLA (20-10) vs. No. 1 Nebraska (30-1), 8 p.m.
# WHERE: Qwest Center, Omaha, Neb.
# ON AIR: AM-850/Free Gatorvision online via Gatorzone.com
# BreakdownFlorida takes on one of the biggest teams it has faced all year in Louisville. The Cardinals' top two outside hitters are 6-foot-4 Russian Ana Yartseva and 6-3 Lena Ustymenko of Ukraine. Overall, Louisville has seven players on its roster standing 6-3 or taller.
"They're huge," Florida coach Mary Wise said. "They're one of the elite-level blocking teams in the country. They can score points in bunches because they are a big-time serving team and a big-time blocking team."
Both of Louisville's losses this season came to Notre Dame, which, coincidently, also defeated Florida. The Gators hope to combat Louisville's height with experience. Florida is looking to advance to its fourth regional final in five years. The Gators are 5-0 against the Cardinals and 3-0 under Wise. The teams haven't met since 2001 when UF swept the Cardinals 3-0 in Gainesville.