NCAA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: USC REACHES FINALS TROJANS SWEEP MINNESOTA, EXTEND WIN STREAK USC 3, MINNESOTA 0.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

The USC women's volleyball team defeated Minnesota 30-27, 30-28, 30-20 in Dallas on Thursday night to advance to the finals of the NCAA championships for the second time in as many seasons.

Defending-champion USC (34-0) extended its record winning streak to 46 consecutive matches and will face the winner of the Hawaii-Florida match in the final at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

``We're really excited to play in the final match on Saturday,'' USC's Keao Burdine said. ``It's pretty hard for us to play those teams that come at us all the time. It seems like we always have a target on our back, and the other teams are always playing as hard as they can.''

That was the case Thursday.

USC struggled early, particularly in the second game when it had to score the final three points after Minnesota led most of the way. Burdine, who finished with 13 kills and 10 digs, scored the game's final point on a kill from the left side.

``We just looked at each other and said, 'Let's do this,' '' Burdine said.

USC won the first game despite blowing an early eight-point lead as the Gophers went on a 12-3 run and scored seven consecutive points off the serve of Lindsey Taatjes to go ahead 23-22. USC rallied to score eight of the game's final 13 points and won 30-28 on a kill by April Ross.

``I think they were serving us smart,'' USC middle blocker Katie Olsovsky said. ``I don't think any other team has learned how to serve us. They came out and played with heart. I think they played a great match, and we stayed calm and played steady.''

The Gophers took a quick 5-0 lead to start the third game, but USC went on an 18-4 run to take control of the game and finish off the 14th-ranked team in the nation (26-11).

``You have to stay calm when you get down,'' said USC's Toni Anderson, who finished with 38 assists. ``We knew they weren't going to die. They weren't going to just roll over for us.''

Ross and Bibiana Candelas each had 11 kills for USC.

``That was a pretty interesting game,'' USC coach Mick Haley said. ``I don't know quite what to say. Minnesota played extremely well. I was proud of our team for making the adjustments we were able to make.''

Cassie Busse led all players with 23 kills for Minnesota, which upset No. 4 Pepperdine and No. 13 Washington to advance out of the NCAA Regionals in Long Beach.

The Gophers have two players from the region in Trisha Bratford, a Taft High of Woodland Hills graduate who had four kills and four digs against USC, and Athena Mallakis (Simi Valley), who didn't play.

``We lost to a very good USC team tonight, but it doesn't diminish in our minds at all the accomplishments of this team and how far we've come this season,'' Minnesota coach Mike Herbert said. ``USC is too doggone big.''

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Minnesota's Cassie Busse spikes the ball past USC's April Ross, who had 11 kills for USC.

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press