Trojans Complete Long Journey and Regain Elite Status

The last time the USC women’s volleyball team made a serious run for a NCAA championship, Coach Jerritt Elliott was leading Palisades High to the City Section boys’ title and most of the current Trojans hadn’t reached kindergarten.

It’s hard to believe that a program that won four national titles has been away from contention that long. But while the Trojans surpassed 20 victories in eight of the last nine years, they had reached the regional finals only once, in 1994.

That was before this year. USC is back among the nation’s elite.

The Trojans (29-2) will try for their first NCAA title since 1981 when they play Wisconsin tonight in the national semifinals at Richmond, Va.

Top-seeded and undefeated Nebraska (32-0) plays Hawaii (31-1) in the other semifinal at Richmond Coliseum. The championship match is Saturday.

After winning three Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women titles, USC won the first NCAA-sponsored championship.

There has been a title drought since, but confidence is at an all-time high as the Trojans rolled to a No. 2 national ranking and a shared Pacific 10 Conference championship with Arizona.

“I haven’t seen Wisconsin, but obviously they’re good if they got to this point,” senior outside hitter Janae Henry said. “I’m pumped up and ready to go. I definitely think we can win the title.”

Elliott, who is in his second year as interim coach until Mick Haley takes over, has had the Trojans play what he calls a “quick attack” that uses two setters and often runs their offense through the middle.

Junior Jennifer Pahl has been a dominant hitter and blocker, averaging 3.23 kills a game with a .409 hitting percentage. She also leads USC with 127 blocks.

Henry, fellow senior Antoinette Polk and freshmen April Ross and Katie Olsovsky are also featured hitters. But the Trojans’ success will hinge on setters Toni Anderson and Tracy Lindquist.

“As long as we have a good passing rhythm, I don’t think we can be stopped,” Henry said.

Behind a home crowd of 4,949 at Madison, Wisconsin advanced to its first Final Four by defeating UCLA, 15-7, 5-15, 16-14, 14-16, 15-12.

Erin Byrd was big for the Badgers in the final moments of the deciding game. At 12-12 and under rally scoring, Byrd had consecutive kills and then teamed with Sherisa Livingston for a block to stamp Wisconsin’s ticket to Richmond.

Livingston, a Simi Valley Royal High product who was the Mideast Regional most valuable player, had 31 kills against the Bruins.

It has been a noteworthy season for the Badgers (32-3) as well. After being ranked 16th in the preseason, Wisconsin rallied from losses to Ohio State and Penn State and won the Big Ten with an 18-2 record.

*

NCAA WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

* Where: At Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, Va.

* Today: Top-seeded Nebraska (32-0) vs. third-seeded Hawaii (31-1), 3 p.m.; Second-seeded USC (29-2) vs. fourth-seeded Wisconsin (32-3), 5:30