Utes, Ags net NCAA berths

The bracket came up on the television screen at the University of Utah's Burbidge Center Sunday afternoon, and senior volleyball player Danielle Leichliter, who never expected to play again on Crimson Court, claimed, "It's a sign! We're going all the way."

The spirits have been shining on the Utes since Thanksgiving Day when they opened with a sweep in their first match at the Mountain West Conference championships in Las Vegas.

And thanks to their nearly sweeping in Las Vegas — losing just one game in three matches and beating higher seeds Colorado State in the semifinals Friday and BYU in the championship late Saturday to win the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament — Utah's reward was very sweet.

On Sunday, the NCAA Selection Committee gave the Utes the first two rounds at home.

"What a way to finish off a career at Utah," said senior outside hitter Shelly Sommerfeldt, whose fierce determination led the Utes and won her the MWC tournament MVP award. "I played my best. It's my last year, and I gave it everything I had, I guess," she said.

And now, to play again at home in the tournament — "What a way to go out," said Sommerfeldt, of Orem.

MWC champion Utah (22-8) will play Loyola Marymount (19-10) on Crimson Court at 8 p.m. Friday, following the 6 p.m. match-up of Western Athletic Conference runner-up Utah State (21-12) and the tournament's No. 4 seed, sixth-ranked Arizona (22-5).

Round 2 is Saturday at 7 p.m. at Crimson Court.

The last time Utah hosted, 2001, Utah State was also in the field, and the two neighbors met for the championship, with the Utes advancing to the Sweet 16.

Leichliter, of Sandy, sees more of the same for this year's team that has four talented freshmen and took until last week to completely resolve the newness factor. "I think this team is very dangerous at home, and with the way we played in the tournament, people are going to have to look out for us," she said.

"I think this team is just lethally talented," Leichliter added. "It's the most talented group I've ever worked with."

The MWC tournament was the Utes' epiphany. "A whole beast in itself," Leichliter said. "Everyone just played really well together, and finally some things started coming together for us that we've been trying to work out throughout the whole season."