UCSD Sets Up Rematch of ’90 NCAA Final : * Volleyball: Semifinal victory puts Tritons in Division III championship against host Washington University.

For the fifth time in the last six years, the UC San Diego women’s volleyball team stands poised today to capture another Division III championship.

But don’t believe it’s getting old for Tritons Coach Doug Dannevik.

“Every time it’s a new challenge,” Dannevik said. “Because we’re the defending champions, we’ve got a lot to prove.”

UCSD (26-5), the top-ranked team in the tournament, dismissed fourth-ranked Juniata College (42-6) of Huntingdon, Pa., 15-6, 15-7, 15-7 in one semifinal Friday to reach the final at 6 p.m. today.

The Tritons’ victory set up a rematch of last year’s championship: UCSD will play tournament host Washington University, a 15-17, 15-12, 15-1, 15-7 winner over Wisconsin Oshkosh.

Dannevik is confident in his team, which is 16-0 against Division III competition this season. In fact, he was hoping to play Washington U. (41-4), whom the Tritons beat in five emotional games here last season to capture the school’s sixth national title in the 10 years of the tourney.

“It’s going to be a much better atmosphere (since) they’re in it,” Dannevik said of the host team.

Middle hitter Elizabeth Tan, one of four seniors on the UCSD squad, said her team is up to the challenge of repeating. UCSD won consecutive championships in 1986, ’87 and ’88 before falling to Washington U. in 1989.

“We’ve waited a long time for this match,” said Tan, who Thursday was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association player of the year.

“We’re really balanced this year. We don’t have to go to one individual.”

Tan and her teammates made that evident to Juniata on Friday. Senior outside hitter Vikki Van Duyne led the Tritons with 13 kills and nine digs, and sophomore setter Julie Fabian, who along with Tan was named to the AVCA All-American first team, recorded 27 assists.

“Elizabeth played very well tonight,” Dannevik said. “She’s the heart and soul of the team. Let’s hope she’s the heart and soul of the best team in the country.”

Juniata Coach Larry Bock, whose team has been to the semifinals seven consecutive times but has never won a title, said the Indians made too many errors against too good of a team.

“We were confident coming in but it was almost like we were waiting for UCSD to make mistakes,” Bock said. “That’s not going to happen. They’re the best team I’ve seen this season.”

The Tritons never were really tested. After winning the first game handily, UCSD took an 8-4 lead in the second game. Juniata cut that lead to 8-7 before the Tritons rallied to score seven consecutive points to close out the second game.

UCSD jumped to a 7-1 lead in the third game and closed out the victory with Van Duyne serving.

Tan said her teammates have adjusted well to being the tournament favorite. Last season, UCSD entered the tournament having to knock off the Washington U., then the defending champion. Tan enjoys being in the favored role now.

“We’ve talked so much about it that there’s really no extra pressure in it,” she said. “It’s just been a lot of fun every time we’ve been out there.”

And despite winning the title last year, Dannevik feels a lot better about his team’s performance at this point as well.

“We’re playing so much better at this point than last year it’s not even funny,” he said. “We’re playing with the confidence we need. It’s fun to coach when you’ve got kids like that.

“I think they’ll sleep very well tonight knowing they played like they did.”