No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Stanford to Meet in Volleyball

The nation’s first- and second-ranked women’s volleyball teams will meet tonight at 7 at UCLA when the top-ranked Bruins play host to Stanford.

Last season, Stanford beat UCLA twice during the regular season and won the Pacific 10 Conference title, but UCLA won its second consecutive NCAA championship.

UCLA (18-0 overall, 11-0 in the Pac-10) is in first place in the conference and Stanford (17-1, 10-1) is second. Stanford’s only defeat was inflicted by the Bruins at Palo Alto on Oct. 3. It was the only match this season in which the Bruins had to play a fifth game.

The Cardinal is led by Bev Oden, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter who averages 4.3 kills and 1.3 blocks per game.

The Bruins are led by Natalie Williams, two-time NCAA most valuable player, and setter Julie Bremner, formerly of the U.S. National team. Williams, a 6-1 outside hitter, averages a Pac-10 best 4.9 kills and Bremner averages a nation-leading 14.1 assists.

UCLA leads the nation in kills with an 18.2 average, hitting percentage at .349, and assists per game, 16.3.