Last night, we saw the UCLA Bruins face the Cal Bears in a PAC-10 women’s volleyball rivalry match at Pauley Pavillion. 

Of course, we were rooting for the Bruins, who won the match 3 games to none, but #6 on the Bears team who almost got us switch sides. 

#6 is Angie Pressey, a 5′8″, junior outside hitter for the Bears, and she is out of this world.  People use the words “explosive athleticism” to describe a player who is supremely athletic such as Pressey is, but those words somehow don’t do her justice. 

I can’t really describe it because I don’t know a whole lot about volleyball - Mary Milan can probably do a better job explaining the technical reasons why Pressey is so good - but I do know that for the last game, the entire UCLA team just seemed confused and overmatched whenever Pressey was given a set.  They got a few blocks, which is how they finally won, but for most of the game, Pressey just took the game into her hands.  In a very real way, it was like watching vintage Jordan on a basketball court. 

And I’m not exaggerating. 

Anyway, Mary Milan, a former volleyball player who is one of the 95% of NCAA athletes who went pro in something other than their sport, was very excited at the game.  It was cool to see because I’ve never had a chance to see her play and for a few moments in the game, it was almost as if she was out on the court running around, setting, and hitting. 

You know, she only used one year of her eligibility.  She could theoretically walk on to the UCLA volleyball team and totally kick ass.

Oh, and the other reason why she was totally excited?  The man of her high school dreams was at the game.  Yup, that’s right, Adam Durtiz of the Counting Crows.  He looked like a puffy Adam Duritz looking non-cartoon version of Sideshow Bob.   

Mary Milan almost charged up the stands to claw her eyes out but I distracted her by pointing out the play of #6.  

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