Editor, Daily Nexus,

As students may know, the UCSB women’s volleyball team is currently unbeaten, winning its first 19 matches of the year and losing none – one of only three undefeated teams left in the entire nation. The other two teams, USC and Hawaii, are ranked #1 and #2 nationally. Our women’s team, currently #5, has been blowing away the competition all year long.

This team has already won more matches than last year’s team did all season long, and there’s still over a month to play. This squad is so scarily good that we are planning on hosting not only the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament, but also the Regionals – a first in UCSB history. This team has so many great players, all playing at the top of their game together. Danielle Bauer and Brooke Niles are both making strong cases for conference MVP honors, as well as national All-Americans. Courtney Guerra, Erica Menzel, Francina Edmonds and Kristin Nelson are also making it very tough to not fill the First Team All-Big West with anyone but Gauchos.

This Friday night, the UCSB Women’s Volleyball team hosts Long Beach State, its biggest rival and the only team that has a chance to upset the Gauchos in the Big West championship race. Long Beach comes in ranked seventh in the country, with one loss (to the Gauchos) and the determination to upset UCSB on their home court. This match has implications and importance beyond any volleyball match ever played at UCSB.

I urge you to get out and support this team Friday night. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., match starts at 7:00. Students are always free with a valid Access card. Show your true UCSB spirit and come root on the Gauchos. There should be nothing better for a UCSB student than to watch the hated 49ers lose miserably in front of this raucous Gaucho crowd! See ya Friday!

CHRIS AUSTIN

Print