Nevada volleyball headed for third NCAA tourney in five years

Monday, Dec. 2, 2002 | 4:11 a.m.

RENO, Nev. AP) - The University of Nevada women's volleyball team has been invited to play in the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row and third time in the past five years.

Nevada (22 (9)- will travel to Stanford Friday to face Pacific 18 (12)- in the first round of the Pacific Regional. The Wolf Pack received one of 33 at-large bids for the 64-team tourney.

"I have to admit, I felt our chances were pretty slim," Wolf Pack Coach Devin Scruggs told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "I felt we deserved to get in but I didn't know if we would."

The Pack will be seeking its first postseason victory.

"That was one of our goals this year, not only to get to the tournament but to win a game," Scruggs said.

Stanford, which will make its 22nd consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, will host first and second-round games on Friday and Saturday. Stanford 27 (4)-, Nevada and Pacific will be joined in Palo Alto by Sacramento State 24 (10)-.

Nevada plays Pacific at 5 p.m.

Stanford, the top seed, will meet No. 4- seed Sacramento State at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The winners of Friday's games will meet Saturday at 7 p.m. for the right to advance to the regionals.

Scruggs said the Pack is very familiar with Pacific. The Wolf Pack lost to the Tigers just three days ago in four games in Stockton, Calif.

"We certainly won't have to exchange (video game) tapes," she said. "This time it will be on a neutral court, which will give a real indication of how both teams play."

Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal