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  MERCEDES DORAME Senior outside hitter Ashley Bowles spikes the ball against Washington State earlier this season.

By Andrew Borders

Daily Bruin Reporter

Coming from an Ivy League school like Penn might help one’s résumé, but it doesn’t mean much on the volleyball court.

“I don’t know anything about Penn,” UCLA head coach Andy Banachowski said.

This is, after all, Penn’s first tournament appearance.

The Quakers are the first-round opponents in the NCAA Tournament for No. 14 UCLA on Friday. And while they are 18-4 and Ivy League champions, Penn hasn’t played a currently-ranked team all year.

To make matters worse, the Bruins will receive an extra boost with the return of senior outside hitter Kristee Porter, who missed an extended period of time due to an “extra benefits” infraction.

“I was disappointed to hear that Porter was coming back,” Penn head coach Kerry Major said, half-jokingly.

The Bruins (18-8), however, have faced seven ranked teams in 11 matches.

So, on paper, with Porter back in the lineup, the Bruins ought to look ahead to the second round, a probable match against No. 16 Penn State (21-7) on Saturday.

Right?

“We’re not looking ahead to Penn State, we’re not looking ahead to regionals, we’re just focusing on the first match at hand,” senior outside hitter Ashley Bowles said.

“You look over anybody and you’re gone,” senior setter Erika Selsor added.

OK, but if the Bruins dispense of Penn, revenge will be on UCLA’s mind. In the 1999 tournament, UCLA advanced to the Elite Eight and faced the Nittany Lions, only to be defeated and have the championship drought stretch to eight years.

“Our seniors remember that,” UCLA head coach Andy Banachowski said, saying it would be a motivating factor should the two teams meet.

“It’s always a pleasure to host UCLA,” Penn State head coach Russ Rose said.

The Bruins hope that the pleasure will be all theirs. A win would result in a third-straight Sweet 16 appearance, possibly in the close-to-home confines of the Pyramid, the stomping grounds of top-ranked Long Beach State.

With reports from Diamond Leung, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.