In 2000, the UCLA women’s volleyball team was ranked No. 1 in the country. More than a decade later, the Bruins finally earned that ranking again, after winning against two top-five teams last weekend.

This means that the Bruins now have an even bigger target on their backs.

The Bruins (20-3, 13-2 Pac-12) will have to guard their home court this weekend as they host No. 10 Washington (18-4, 10-4) tonight.

Just over a month ago, the Huskies stunned the Bruins with a clean sweep of 3-0.

Though Washington is 3-4 against ranked teams this season, it will bring out its best game. But the Bruins have changed since September, and they will not let their opponent get away with an easy victory.

“We’re coming out gunning for them,” sophomore outside hitter Kelly Reeves said. “We’re pumped up because that last game against them wasn’t great.”

UCLA will also host Washington State (12-12, 4-10) on Sunday afternoon. The Bruins swept the Cougars in their last matchup in September.

Though the Bruins are ranked first in the country, they are tied for first in the Pac-12 with No. 4 USC.

For UCLA, this is more incentive than anything to keep winning its games.

“We have to keep in mind that our first goal in this journey is to win the Pac-12,” senior defense specialist/libero Lainey Gera said. “We have our eye on the prize.”

That title seems to be so close and within reach, but the Bruins have a difficult road ahead of them.

There are six Pac-12 teams in the top 25, including five in the top 10.

It is a tough conference to win, and winning on the road against two in-conference opponents last weekend can only help the morale of the Bruins.

“It’s really good to be excited about those wins and know what that feels like,” Gera said.

“It’s getting down to the wire and we just want to win as much as we can in the Pac-12.”

Coach Mike Sealy believes that the win over Stanford last weekend boosted the team’s morale and drive to a new level.

“It was a different blueprint – being down and coming back,” Sealy said. “That’s something we haven’t done yet. It’s yet another match experience we can now hold onto.”

The Bruins, with all this motivation and new experiences, still have the same work ethic.

“We still work hard in the gym,” Reeves said. “We still need to get better.”

Practicing is necessary, but this late into the season, the team has better worked out all of its kinks and problems.

“We’re fine-tuning things we have to work on,” Sealy said.

“If statistically, something is not working out at this point, it’s time to abandon it and just focus on the things we do well. Ultimately, we just need to keep getting better for the tournament.”