Evans Is a Big Hit at UCLA : Volleyball: She has helped fill the gap created when All-American Elaine Youngs was sidelined.

Jenny Evans has had all kinds of brushes with greatness while playing volleyball.

Take her high school career at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach. The Sailors were 59-6 in her three seasons on the Newport Harbor varsity but never won a state championship.

The success, and frustration, have continued at UCLA. The Bruins were a combined 64-4 the last two seasons and went into the NCAA semifinals ranked No. 1 both times, and lost.

“It’s really tough, because no one can really pinpoint what went wrong in the (semifinal) games,” Evans said. “I guess we felt comfortable (that) we were going into the finals the last two years.”

With the NCAA tournament a month away, Evans and the Bruins (21-1, 13-0 in the Pac-10) are hoping this time to hang onto their No. 1 ranking.

“This year, we know what can happen once we get there,” said Evans, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter.

“It was so hard to believe we could do so well in the regular season, then lose when we got to the final four.”

Coach Andy Banachowski has tried to prepare the Bruins this season with a schedule he says is the second-toughest in the nation. They have played seven top-20 teams, losing only to Nebraska in their fourth match.

Evans has played well in the Bruins’ big matches. She had 24 kills in the loss to Nebraska and had a season-high 32 in a recent victory over fifth-ranked Stanford.

“Matches like the one against Stanford are really going to help us when the NCAA tournament starts,” Banachowski said.

Evans, a junior, has been a big part of UCLA’s success. She’s second on the team in kills with 320, first in aces with 30, and second in digs with 300.

“Everyone notices her hitting right away,” Banachowski said. “But she has improved her game in every area. She passes the ball well. Her serving has improved tremendously.”

When a knee injury sidelined All-American Elaine Youngs, the Bruins found a new all-around threat in Evans, who has always been adept at scoring big points with a big thump.

Evans relishes the role, but is quick to add that the Bruins have a more balanced attack than previously.

“Last year, we had one powerhouse (Youngs) controlling the game,” she said. “This year, everyone has a role. It’s hard to pick out just one person because everyone is contributing.”