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Tournament will bring out the best

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By JOEY JOHNSTON

jjohnston@tampatrib.com

Published: September 11, 2009

TAMPA - When the concept for this weekend's Tampa Twice tournament was conceived - staging an elite college volleyball tournament as a prelude to the NCAA Volleyball Final Four's visit to Tampa in December - South Florida coach Claire Lessinger said she hoped it would become a showcase for the sport.

On paper, the Tampa Twice field has worked perfectly. There are three top 10 teams - No. 3 Washington, No. 4 Florida and No. 9 Minnesota - along with the Bulls, who are off to a 5-0 start.

Overall, the four teams have combined for a 22-1 record (the lone loss: Minnesota lost at powerful Nebraska in five sets).

"We know what we're getting into here," said Lessinger, whose team features Marcela Gurgel, the Big East preseason player of the year. "We know about this level of competition. But I believe our team will respond to it and this will serve us well the rest of the season.

"If you want to see college volleyball played at the highest level, this is definitely the place to be."

The UF volleyball program is making its first trip to Tampa since 2003. The Gators have a 27-3 series lead against the Bulls, including a 15-0 mark with Wise.

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