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Women’s volleyball to take on Murray State at home in NCAA first round

Jennie Frager recently earned All Pac-12 First Team honors. The senior middle blocker led the Bruins with 1.13 blocks per set and a .358 hitting percentage. UCLA finished in a tie for second place in conference play. (Ken Shin/Daily Bruin)

By Kelsey Angus

Dec. 1, 2016 12:16 a.m.

Toward the end of Pac-12 play, the Bruins had a chance to contend for their first conference championship since 1999.

But winning the conference was never coach Michael Sealy’s primary goal. He only ever saw Pac-12 play as preparation for the postseason.

With conference play finishing last weekend, the NCAA Tournament is finally here.

“We played some great matches; we played some tough matches,” Sealy said. “We’ve seen every kind of match there is, so we have the experience for whatever happens.”

No. 10 seed UCLA women’s volleyball (24-6, 15-5 Pac-12) will face Murray State (23-8, 15-1 Ohio Valley Conference) to open the tournament Friday.

The Racers are riding a 15-game win streak that extends back to Oct.1, with their most recent win netting them the the OVC championship and an automatic bid to the 64-team NCAA Tournament.

Murray State never beat a ranked opponent en route to its conference title and finished the season at No. 96 in the RPI rankings. In the Racers’ two trips to the NCAA Tournament, their record is 0-2.

The Bruins will also have the opportunity to host the second round of the tournament Saturday if they win Friday’s match.

“It’s always a great advantage to be hosting at home,” said redshirt junior setter Ryann Chandler. “You’re in an area you’re comfortable with and you’re around fans that can hopefully help with momentum.”

UCLA will play the winner of San Diego (24-5, 15-3 West Coast Conference) and Baylor (21-11, 9-7 Big 12) if the Bruins advance.

The Toreros put a halt to UCLA’s best start since 2006 in September. Senior middle blocker Jennie Frager said that the team was excited to see San Diego in its bracket.

“The exciting part about (the potential of) getting to face San Diego again is that we have a completely new lineup,” Chandler said. “They haven’t seen what we have now in this part of the season.”

[Related: Women’s volleyball spoils undefeated streak in loss against San Diego]

Brent Hilliard, the associate head coach for the Toreros, coached Chandler, Frager and junior pin hitter Reily Buechler at WAVE Volleyball Club when they were in high school.

“He definitely knows our team well,” Frager said. “It makes it very competitive and it’s a lot of fun.”

[Related: Women’s volleyball rides the wave of united longtime companionship]

Earlier this week, senior libero Taylor Formico

San Diego and Baylor will play in Pauley Pavilion at 5:30 p.m. Friday, and UCLA will take the court at 8 p.m.

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Kelsey Angus | Alumna
Angus joined the Bruin as a sophomore in 2016 and contributed until she graduated in 2018. She was an assistant Sports editor for the 2017-2018 academic year and spent time on the men's volleyball, women's volleyball, gymnastics, women's water polo and swim and dive beats.
Angus joined the Bruin as a sophomore in 2016 and contributed until she graduated in 2018. She was an assistant Sports editor for the 2017-2018 academic year and spent time on the men's volleyball, women's volleyball, gymnastics, women's water polo and swim and dive beats.
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