WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL / NCAA TOURNAMENT : Williams Chases Record as UCLA Seeks Third Title

Natalie Williams has a chance to become the all-time kills leader for two-time defending national champion UCLA during the NCAA Division I women’s volleyball regional championships, which begin today and Friday at four sites.

The top-ranked Bruins will play host to the West Regional, which starts Friday in Pauley Pavilion. Third-ranked Cal State Long Beach will play host to the Northwest Regional, beginning tonight.

Williams, averaging 4.8 kills per game, needs 21 to surpass UCLA assistant coach Liz Masakayan, who had 2,044 for UCLA from 1982-85. Williams was selected the most valuable player at the last two NCAA tournaments. Masakayan was a member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic team.

In the West Region semifinals on Friday, UCLA (30-0) will play Arizona State (23-7) at 6 p.m., and USC (21-8) will play Brigham Young (28-3) at 8 p.m. The final will be Saturday at 8 p.m.

UCLA seeks an unprecedented third consecutive national championship and could become only the second team to finish the season undefeated.

In tonight’s Northwest Region semifinals, UC Santa Barbara (23-7) plays Pacific (26-5) at 6, and the 49ers (28-2) play Illinois State (30-3) at 8. The Northwest Region final will be Friday at 7:30 p.m.

It is the first time Long Beach, 1989 NCAA champion, has played host to a regional.

Florida (32-1) will play host to the South Regional, and Illinois (31-3) will play host to the Mideast Regional. The regional winners will advance to the final four in Albuquerque, N.M., Dec. 17-19.