THEY'RE WITHIN SPIKING DISTANCE : U.S. TEAMS ARE IN THE HUNT FOR VOLLEYBALL GOLD.

Byline: Joe Jares Daily News Staff Writer

If tattoos are charms to ward off evil and bring good luck - as human billboard Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls has perhaps proved - then the U.S. men's volleyball team will do well when play begins at the Omni in Atlanta.

Lloy Ball, America's 6-foot-8 setter from Indiana, has the Olympic rings emblazoned between his shoulder blades. Among his other adornments (such as silver polish on his toenails at practice the other day), he has a tattoo of a python wrapped around a volleyball.

For those of you not charmed by charms or turned off by tattoos, we turn to a local consultant, Paul Sunderland of Malibu - former basketball star at Notre Dame High in Sherman Oaks, former volleyball star at Loyola Marymount, Olympic volleyball gold medalist (1984) and current sportscaster. He and Chris Marlowe will call indoor volleyball for NBC, and probably the beach volleyball finals as well.

``I think that both teams, the U.S. men and women, have a chance to medal, which is obviously good,'' said Sunderland. ``The women have potential to get in the gold-medal match.''

From Sunderland, other sources in the sport and our own investigations and speculations, here are some spikes for you to dig:

U.S. women: Outside hitter Tara Cross-Battle out of Long Beach State has a great stage - or court - name and the game to go with it. She was MVP of the World Grand Prix last year, has Olympic Games and Italy pro experience.

Depth and experience are American assets. For instance, middle blocker Paula Weishoff (USC), 34, won't start but will be an important cog. She's an Olympic veteran and played seven years in Italy. Outside hitter Teee Williams (Hawaii) was a U.S. stalwart at the Barcelona Games - she had 22 kills against Japan.

Lori Endicott (Nebraska), Elaina Oden (Pacific), Elaine Youngs (UCLA), Tammy Liley (Arizona State) - this is a talented group. It won the 1995 World Grand Prix and will be playing before home crowds in Atlanta. Never discount that advantage.

It's coached by Terry Liskevych, former coach of men at Ohio State and women at Pacific.

Other women's teams: Cuba, Cuba and more Cuba. Its women are ``fabulous,'' according to Sunderland and every criteria imaginable. It has won everything but that Grand Prix just mentioned. That includes the 1992 Olympics and the 1995 Pan-Am Games.

U.S. men: Coached by Fred Sturm (UCLA, coach at Stanford), they are talented and deep, but despite 6-8 Ball, 6-7 middle blocker Bryan Ivie (USC), 6-8 middle blocker Jeff Nygaard (UCLA) and 6-5 outside hitter John Hyden (San Diego State), they are small by world standards. Nygaard and Hyden have good jump serves, but the rest are so-so at it.

Ivie is the best hitter, but Sunderland says the team has ``no designated hitter.'' This is vital, because back-row hitting has come into the game, so if a team has a powerhouse, unstoppable spiker, no matter where he is in the rotation, ``you can set the same guy 25 times in a row.''

There are many assets, not least among them the all-around play of 6-4 outside hitter and captain Bob Ctvrtlik (Pepperdine), 33. He does a hundred important things. For instance, he and Hyden are the primary serve receivers. That's so difficult in these days of jump serves that a third man is needed; Ctvrtlik (stuh-VERT-lick) picks that guy each time, depending on various circumstances.

Other men's teams: The Italians are the favorites, although not overwhelmingly. They have an excellent coach in Argentine Julio Velasco. They have a load of good players honed in the Italian pro league.

``Their athletes are highly paid,'' said Sunderland. ``In their own country they are as big sports stars as the best of their soccer players. There's just lots of great players in Italy right now. . . . They sent their second team to last year's World League, and they won. They rested all their vets and their second team won.''

THROUGH THE YEARS BOB CTVRTLIK (Pepperdine) 1985: Helps U.S. win World Cup; helps Waves win NCAA title, beating USC at Pauley Pavilion.

1986: Helps U.S. win World Championship.

1988: Stalwart on America's Olympic-championship team in Seoul.

1994: Named U.S. captain.

1995: Named to the FIVB All-Star Team; shares U.S. MVP honors with Ivie.

LINDA HANLEY (UCLA) 1981: First-team All-American on the coaches' team.

1995: Wins career-high $40,175 in beach tournaments.

BRYAN IVIE (USC) 1987: Regarded as the top high school middle blocker in the nation, for Mira Costa in Manhattan Beach.

1990: MVP on NCAA All-Tournament team.

1991: Picked as National Player of the Year by the college coaches and Volleyball Monthly magazine.

1992: Return from knee injury is key in U.S. winning bronze medal at Barcelona.

1995: Shares U.S. MVP honors with Ctvrtlik, after winning it outright twice before.

DAN LANDRY (UCLA) 1993: Sets NCAA Tournament two-match record with .575 hitting percentage as Bruins win national title.

1995: Winner of Tommy Haine Coaches Award.

JEFF NYGAARD (UCLA) 1992: NCAA Freshman of the Year.

1993: Co-MVP of NCAA tournament as Bruins win 14th title.

1994: Collegiate Player of the Year.

1995: Third straight year as first-team All-American; second straight year as Player of the Year.

TOM SORENSEN (Pepperdine) 1992: Helps Waves win NCAA title, beating Stanford.

1993: Makes All-American for third time.

JEFF STORK (Pepperdine) 1984: Taft High alumnus makes All-American for third time for Waves.

1988: Helps America win gold medal at Seoul Olympics.

1992: Helps America win bronze medal at Barcelona Olympics.

1993: MVP in Italian pro league.

1994: For second time is MVP of Bud Light 4-Man League.

PAULA WEISHOFF (USC) 1980: Leads the Trojans in attack percentage (.381); makes All-American team.

1984: MVP of the U.S. team in the Los Angeles Olympics.

1992: MVP of the entire Olympic women's tournament at Barcelona.

ELAINE YOUNGS (UCLA) 1991: Helps Bruins win NCAA title.

1992: Makes NCAA All-Tournament team for second straight year, and coaches' All-American for second straight year.

When to Watch Women: July 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 (Pool play); July 30, Aug. 1 (playoffs); Aug. 3 (medals)

Mwn: July 21, 23, 25, 27, 29 (Pool play); July 31, Aug. 2 (playoffs); Aug. 4 (medals)

CAPTION(S):

Photo, 2 Boxes

Photo: (color) Captain Bob Ctvrtlik, spiking a bal l against Japan recently, will lead the U.S. men's volleyball team, which will contend for a medal in Atlanta.

Daily News File Photo

Box: (1) THROUGH THE YEARS (see text)

(2) When to Watch (see text)