ThursdThe match times for the 2004 NCAA Women's Volleyball Final Four have been set according to the NCAA. Fourth-seeded Minnesota (32-4) will play No. 8 USC (23-5) in the second semifinal match on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 9:30 p.m. (CT).

No. 7 Washington (28-2) and No. 11 Stanford (28-6) will meet in the first semifinal on Dec. 16 at approximately 7:30 p.m. (CT). The championship match will take place on Saturday, Dec. 18 at 3:00 p.m. (CT), and will be aired live on ESPN 2.

Minnesota and USC are the only two returnees from last year's National Semifinals. The Golden Gophers were the only regional No. 1 seed to make it to the National Semifinals.

The Golden Gophers will meet the Women of Troy for the third time in the last year. Minnesota lost to USC in three games in last year's national semifinals. Minnesota also lost to the Women of Troy in a hard-fought five-game match in the finals of the NACWAA Classic in Fort Colllins, Colo. on Aug. 28, 2004. The Golden Gophers do own an NCAA Tournament victory over USC, which came in 1999. In that match, Minnesota rallied from a 0-2 deficit to defeat the Women of Troy to advance to the NCAA Regionals.

Minnesota enters the match having won eight of its last nine contests in NCAA Tournament play dating back to last year's Final Four run. USC has won 16 straight NCAA Tournament, including the last two national titles.

Both of the national semifinal matches will be broadcast on a tape-delayed basis on ESPN 2. Broadcast times will be announced on Monday, Dec. 13. The national championship match will take place on Saturday, Dec. 18 at 3 p.m. (CT). That match will be telecast live on ESPN 2.

All of Minnesota's matches will be broadcast live on WMGT (1220 AM), and webcast on gophersports.com.