Long Beach State Women Playing Role of Favorite

After only one major upset in the first four rounds, the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament has held to form, with the top four teams making it to the Final Four at Madison, Wis.

Top-ranked Long Beach State (34-0) plays No. 4 Florida (35-2) tonight, 30 minutes after second-ranked Penn State (34-0) plays No. 3 Nebraska (32-1) at 4 p.m.

It will be Long Beach’s sixth Final Four appearance and the first time Florida and Long Beach have played since they split two matches last year at Gainesville, Fla. Florida Coach Mary Wise knows defeating Long Beach is a tougher assignment this time.

“Our team knows it’s playing the best player in the country, who is surrounded by talented players,” Wise said. “On paper, [the 49ers] win going away.”

Misty May, the 1997 national player of the year, has been named first team All-American for the second year in a row.

May, outstanding player of the Mountain Regional after getting 16 aces and 25 kills, has plenty of help. Senior middle blocker Benishe Dillard, second-team All-American for the second consecutive year, has 38 kills so far in the tournament, and outside hitter Jessica Alvarado has 29 kills in the last three matches.

“We’re a very different team from last year,” said Long Beach State Coach Brian Gimmillaro, who was named the American Volleyball Coaches Assn. Division I coach of the year on Wednesday. “We are much more balanced. And we are set around a setter [May], which is more difficult for teams to defend.”

Florida will rely heavily on first-team All-American Jenny Manz, a junior outside hitter who led Florida with 579 kills this season and was named outstanding player of the East Regional.

“We will need to do our best to prevent Long Beach from running points,” Wise said.

Long Beach has won 64 consecutive games and has not lost a game since Oct. 2.

The only time these two have met in the tournament was in 1993, when Long Beach defeated Florida in three games at the national semifinal. After that victory, Long Beach defeated Penn State for the national title.

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Along with May and Dillard, three other Los Angeles-area players were named All-Americans. UC Santa Barbara outside hitter Roberta Gehlke was named to the second team for the second consecutive year, and USC senior opposite hitter Jennifer Kessy was named to the second team for the first time. USC senior middle blocker Jasmina Marinkovic, a first-team All-American last year, was named to the second team.

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NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament

Final Four at Madison, Wis.

TONIGHT’S SEMIFINALS

* No. 2 Penn State (34-0) vs. No. 3 Nebraska (32-1), 4. (ESPN2)

* No. 1 Long Beach State (34-0) vs. No. 4 Florida (35-2), about 30 minutes after previous game. (ESPN2, will be delayed until Friday at 9 p.m.)

SATURDAY’S FINAL

* 10 a.m., ESPN2 (delayed until noon)