UNI enjoys 8th ranking as season opens

The U-N-I volleyball team opens the season Friday by taking on top ranked and defending national champion U-S-C at a tournament in Los Angeles. The Panthers were 34-3 a year ago and open this season eighth-ranked nationally. Senior Jill Arganbright says it’s their job now to prove that they deserve the ranking and belong at the top level of volleyball. Fellow senior Molly O’Brien says the Panthers realize that lofty expectations come with lofty expectations. She says there will be some amount of pressure, but they have to look at it as an opportunity that’s good for the program. U-N-I coach Bobbi Peterson says the season is not going to be based on a preseason rankings. She says they have goals they’ve set and those won’t change no matter what the rankings say.