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December 5, 2002

click here to view the NCAA Tournament Bracket

Karla Kucerkova led AU to a second straight berth into the NCAA Tournament.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Faced with the possibility of not making its first practice at North Carolina's Carmichael Auditorium Wednesday afternoon due to severe snow storm conditions, the American University volleyball team did what it has done all year - found a way to make it happen.

The Eagles were headed to UNC amidst miles of wet, whitened Carolina traffic when their bus came across an iced-in Chapel Hill Transit Bus that was angled three-fourths of the way across four-laned South Street. There was just enough room for regular-sized vehicles to swerve to the right side and around, but not enough for the AU bus to maneuver past. On the opposite side of the median strip, two lanes of traffic had transcended into one because the pair of mired busses had completely blocked off the other side.

Taking action, American Head Coach Barry Goldberg and several of the administrative staff stepped out to direct the remaining traffic around the bus and push spun-out cars into motion again. Goldberg then pursuaded the transit bus driver to reposition itself into one lane and subsequently free her vehicle off the ice patches. Goldberg raced to catch up with his team as the AU bus powered up the slick street to the tune of its cheering passengers. The effort paid off as American was able to make practice.

And put the focus back where it belongs - on the volleyball court.

Tonight, the Eagles will face No. 24 University of South Carolina in the first round of the Division 1 NCAA Tournament at the University of North Carolina's Carmichael Auditorium at 5 p.m. The winner of the match faces the winner of the other site match between the No. 11-seeded Tar Heels and Winthrop, which will be played 30 minutes after the AU-USC match.

The Eagles (26-7 overall, 14-0 Patriot League) earned an automatic bid after completing their second-straight perfect Patriot League season and a 32-0 league showing. AU defeated Army in the Patriot League semifinals before defeating second-seeded Lehigh in the final, 3-1. American owned the nation's fifth longest winning streak (18 matches) prior to Saturday night when it ended with a 3-0 loss to Temple.

The Gamecocks went 21-6 overall and 14-2 in the Southeastern Conference before being upset by Alabama in the SEC semifinals by a 3-0 margin. They received an at-large invitation to the tournament. The North Carolina bracket is in the Central Division, which also features No. 3-seeded Nebraska (27-1) and No. 14-seeded Wisconsin (23-8) in the other bracket.

Winthrop captured the Big South Conference Championship and is competing in its first NCAA Tournament in school history. The Winthrop Eagles won a program-best 28 matches while junior Jennifer Pritchard was named the BSC Player of the Year.

"Every team that's in the tournament is good so the USC match will be a good test for us," said AU coach Barry Goldberg.

The teams have met twice before with the Gamecocks capturing both matches. The last time these two met was in 1996 when USC won 3-0 by scores of 15-0, 15-6 and 15-8. The previous year, South Carolina registered a win 3-1 by scores of 15-6, 9-15, 15-6 and 16-14.

American is led by two-time Patriot League Player of the Year Karla Kucerkova and Patriot League Rookie of the Year Cutrina Biddulph. Kucerkova led the team and league in kills for the second straight year while also earning two Patriot League Player of the Week honors. Biddulph, a native of Reseda, Calif., ranked high among league leaders in hitting percentage, service aces and blocks.

Judit Szekelyhidi, Cathy Fluegeman and Courtney Mulford were all named to the Second-Team All-Patriot League in 2002 and played a major factor in the AU attack. Sophomore Sabrina Vasconcelos, the 2001 Patriot League co-Rookie of the Year, should see time in the setter position as well.

American, which is 26-0 when leading after the first game, should see some explosive offense from sophomores Daria Bobko and Natacha Cornaz, the 2002 Patriot League Tournament MVP. The libero, Natalie Hand, finished fifth in the league in digs and will start for the Eagles.

The Gamecocks and Eagles have played two of the same opponents this season with similar results. Both have defeated Georgetown, as USC beat the Hoyas 3-0 and AU beat them 3-2. AU lost in the American Volleyball Classic Championship to Florida, 3-0, as South Carolina fell twice to the Gators, 3-0.

Kim Christopher is in her 10th season at the helm of USC. She is assisted by Trina Smith and Jason Hou. Leading the offense for USC is senior Berna Dwyer (3.22 kills per game) and redshirt sophomore Niece Curry (3.27 kpg). Senior Megan Hosp operates the offense with over 12 assists per game while Dwyer and Curry are the top blockers with over one each per game.

In 2001, American University fell to Colorado 3-0 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to put an end to a stellar 26-4 overall record that included a Patriot League record 21-match winning streak. Colorado did not receive an invitation to the tournament this year.

American University, which fields a 19-sport NCAA Division I athletics program featuring 10 women’s sports and nine for men, recently completed its inaugural year of membership in the Patriot League. The University had an extremely successful year to date on respective fields of play, capturing league championships in men's cross country, women's cross country, men’s soccer, women's soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s tennis and women’s tennis, and regular-season titles in men’s basketball and women’s lacrosse.

Chartered by an Act of Congress in 1893, American University features students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 160 nations worldwide.