This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Twice now in three weeks, Utah's volleyball team has defied reason.
First, when the senior-laden group lost its 11th of 13 matches in straight sets at Arizona. They were, surely, too good for that.
Then, when the same bunch beat No. 20 USC, and No. 17 UCLA, and a plucky Washington State, and No. 2 Washington. Now, it's: Are they really that good?
Beth Launiere's team finds itself ranked No. 23 after an almost unheard-of turnaround, its RPI rocketing from 59th to 40th. Seniors who were once disconsolate now have the respect they've been battling for since they were freshman during Utah's first season in the Pac-12.
"People were really down," Launiere said. "Because this group had high expectations, heading into the season with as many seniors as we had, and [junior setter] Kendal Cygan kind of said, 'You know, I don't want to just be good, I want us to be great.' "
Launiere started to think about that — the difference between good and great.
She pulled out her copy of Jim Collins' book "Good to Great" and shared one of its central messages with her team: Keep it simple.
Back home after four straight road matches, they won their first set against No. 19 USC. Then, they won their next two against USC. Then, all three against No. 15 UCLA.
"Our confidence was shaky, there was no question about it; we'd lost so many tough matches," Launiere said. "So once we got that win against USC, I just think that our confidence soared after that."
A team that started 2-10 in Pac-12 play beat two Southern California giants without dropping a set.
The following weekend, they topped Washington State in four sets and dealt No. 2 Washington their second consecutive five-set loss after the Huskies started the season undefeated.
Utah survived two match points in Set Four.
Three weeks earlier, the Huskies and Cougars had both beaten Utah in straight sets.
"It's awesome," said senior libero Lea Adolph. "I don't think we ever gave up. I think we always knew that we didn't play to our potential. It just feels great to finally play how we know we can play."
Utah didn't just ride one hot hand. Different players had career nights in each match. One constant, Launiere said, was the play from Adolph, who recorded 24 digs against Washington and helped hold reigning national player of the year Krista Vansant to a .197 hitting percentage.
"She's playing the best volleyball of her career," Launiere said.
The hope now for Utah is to earn an NCAA bid. Even with an RPI of 40, Utah ranks 10th in the Pac-12, and Launiere isn't sure they'll take so many.
"We've just got to win a couple more and we might have done it, when we felt like we were pretty dead in the water there for a while," Launiere said.
The Utes will be without freshman standout Eliza Katoa, who sustained a season-ending injury against Washington State, and they'll need career efforts from the whole cast to have a shot Friday night against unanimous No. 1 Stanford, a team that has won 35 straight regular season matches and beat the Utes in four sets at the Huntsman Center.
But at least now they know what "great" takes.
"It's the first time that we've been ranked, and it doesn't change anything, but it definitely is a good feeling," Adolph said. "It feels like hard work paid off."
Twitter: @matthew_piper
Around the league
BYU 3, Portland 0 • The Cougars swept the Pilots Thursday, 25-14, 25-19, 25-21.
Idaho State 3, SUU 0 • Idaho State beat Southern Utah 25-21, 25-20, 20-16 in their 2014 Big Sky Volleyball Championship quarterfinal Thursday.
SLCC 3, Missouri State West Plains 1 • MSU-WP beat Salt Lake Community College 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 25-21 on Thursday. —
No. 23 Utah at No. 1 Stanford
P Friday, 8 p.m.
TV: Pac-12 Network