UNIVERSITY BEAT

For Kristee Porter and UCLA, the NCAA women’s volleyball playoffs offer a second chance.

A two-time All-American outside hitter who also plays basketball and competes in track at UCLA, Porter was reinstated by the NCAA last Wednesday after a 13-match suspension for receiving “extra benefits”--unspecified items from a roommate.

She has not played since being suspended Oct. 19, missing half of the team’s matches and satisfying an NCAA ruling that she sit out half the regular season. Porter would not discuss specifics of the case, calling the violation “a misunderstanding and a mistake on my part.”

“I was just disappointed in myself,” she said. “I felt like I let down a lot of people. I hope I can help the team and contribute as much as possible.”

UCLA Coach Andy Banachowski, who has guided the Bruins to six national titles, said, “I like our chances with Kristee back.”

The Bruins (18-8), seeded eighth in the 64-team national tournament, will travel to Penn State for their first-round match against Pennsylvania (18-4) on Friday.

In Porter’s absence, the Bruins relied heavily on outside hitter Ashley Bowles and setter Erika Selsor, seniors who earned all-Pac-10 Conference first-team honors, and junior outside hitter Lauren Fendrick, who received honorable mention.

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Top-ranked Cal State Long Beach, seeded No. 1 in the volleyball playoffs, has its sights on an unbeaten season and a sixth NCAA title.

Long Beach (28-0) plays host to San Diego State (16-12) in a first-round match Friday at the Pyramid.

Long Beach’s success has been fueled by several players, including national player-of-the-year candidates Tayyiba Haneef and Cheryl Weaver, and setter Keri Nishimoto.

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USC (22-3), seeded No. 4 in the volleyball playoffs, will play Liberty (21-10) in the first round Friday at Duke. Pepperdine (21-3), seeded No. 7, plays Georgia Southern (22-11) in its first-round match at North Carolina on Thursday. Unseeded UC Santa Barbara (17-13) takes on San Diego Friday at Long Beach.