Taylor Formico was determined to beat her three brothers, two older and one younger, in any sport growing up.She threw fastball after fastball in her backyard batting cage trying to match their speed. She went toe-to toe with them in weekly soccer games and sprinting races. She even tried to bounce the highest on the familys trampoline, competing for the best backflips and front flips.When she was 5, she watched her brothers climb a 10-foot tetherball post in the backyard. Formico huffed and puffed, falling short each time. But she kept climbing.I stayed up all night until 3 a.m., until I climbed to the top, Formico said. I screamed for my mom in the middle of the night. She was angry I was out there, but I had to have proof.Formico, now a 5-foot-7 senior libero for No. 9 UCLA (9-1 overall), doesnt know any other gear than overdrive. Shes usually the one screaming, high-fiving and jumping up and down for her teammates or flying around the volleyball court for an epic dig.She is the absolute heart of our team, senior outside hitter Jordan Anderson said.Just ask Formicos cousin, three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings: Shes just relentless, Walsh Jennings said. Shell run through fire or a brick wall to get a ball up for her team.Not even a torn labrum in her hip could keep Formico, the 2015 Pac-12 Libero of the Year and an American Volleyball Coaches Association third-team All-America selection, off the court.Playing hurt for the past three seasons, she didnt miss a game, a weight-lifting session, a conditioning session or a team meeting -- even when she had to Uber to campus because it was too painful to walk, even when she had to punch her hip in practice to push through a practice drill, even when her leg went numb during games.Formico, whose 554 digs (sixth most in Bruins history) led UCLA to the Sweet 16 last season, kept the injury a secret. She didnt want anyone to feel sorry for her.For her, it wasnt even an issue. It wasnt even worth talking about, UCLA coach Michael Sealy said. For her it was, Dont even show me compassion with this thing. This is just the way it is, and were going.Its always been that way for Formico.Inspired by Walsh Jennings, Formico dreamed of playing at the highest levels of the game. But few colleges recruited the Saratoga, California, native, partially because of her size, Formico said, and because shed have to transition from her natural position at setter to libero, and she didnt have any experience playing the latter.Her whole career, because of her size, shes had to struggle to get people to recognize how good she really was. It drove her, said her father, Mike. Shes constantly proving herself, even today.Former UC Santa Barbara coach Kathy Gregory offered her a spot. Formico accepted before looking at any other schools.[Gregory] helped me embrace my passion, Formico said. Sometimes its like, Youre too crazy, or, Youre too fiery, but she really embraced and loved my passion and my fight. Shes all about heart.Formico made a seamless transition to libero for the Gauchos in 2012, leading the nation with 792 digs (5.87 per set) en route to AVCA West Region Freshman of the Year honors.She pulled it off because she trained harder than anyone, Gregory said. Practice would be over and shed still want more reps. She came in on weekends. If she could train 10 hours a day, she would.Gregory ended her 38-year tenure at UCSB after Formicos rookie season. Formico was devastated -- Gregory was the one who believed in her, who took a chance on her.Formico wasnt sure if she wanted to keep playing.The more she thought about it, the more she realized she wanted to challenge herself and play at a higher level. Transferring to UCLA would fill that craving; she had always dreamed of playing in the Pac-12.But she was nervous, even intimidated, during her first few practices at UCLA in 2014. She was surrounded by women who were former top-10, blue-chip recruits, women who had been recruited straight out of high school. Formico knew her path was different, and she knew she could play -- but did she belong there?She battled the incumbent libero, Karly Drolson, for the starting spot. The first one to arrive to practice and the last to leave, Formico eventually earned the starting nod.She wanted to prove to everyone and even herself that she could play at this level, Drolson said. That girl will never give up. She just worked her butt off.Formico flourished, leading the Bruins in digs per set (3.90) and ranking third in aces (16), posting double-figure digs in 27 matches in 2014.Upping her game even more the next season, when she was recognized as the Pac-12s best libero in 2015, Formico became the 23rd Bruin to reach 1,000 career digs. She posted a career-high 35 digs against Arizona.Her ability to keep the ball in play and keep it up, to take so much passing and defensive responsibility, coaches in the Pac-12, they have a game plan for her, Sealy said. They dont do that too often with back-row players.She not only makes the steady, consistent play, but she makes the wow plays, too, Sealy said. Someone will make an amazing hit and she comes flying in to dig, and it really sucks the life out of the sail of the other team.Formico is off to a fast start for the Bruins, who have suffered just one loss this season, against San Diego. Posting double-figure digs in each of the teams 10 matches, Formico notched a season-high 28 digs against Pepperdine on Sept. 13.Formico enters Wednesdays match against crosstown rival USC, ranked 21st, with 1,193 digs as a Bruin, which is now ninth all time. She is 21 away from eighth.Formico now has amassed 1,985 digs for her career, including her time at UCSB, and likely will pass surpass 2,000 against the Trojans.But if you ask Formico, shell probably tell you she has much more to work on to elevate her game. She pulls up game film on her cell phone almost immediately after games are over, dissecting each set, each play and each mistake she made with a focus that is almost obsessive.She was somebody that wasnt even on most peoples radars, Gregory said. Its not always the superstars that make it. Its someone that wanted it more than someone else, and had something to prove.China Jerseys Stitched .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. China Jerseys Cheap . -- Sergey Tolchinksy scored his second goal of the game 3:56 into overtime as the Sault Ste. https://www.chinajerseyscheap.us/ . Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs 11-game winning streak. Cheap Jerseys From China . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Fake China Jerseys . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night.EUGENE, Ore. -- New Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall is urging patience as the Cavaliers are rebuilt.A trip to No. 24 Oregon certainly might strain it.After a disappointing season-opening loss to lower-tier Richmond, the Cavaliers (0-1) make the 2,800-mile trip to Eugene to face the Ducks (1-0) on Saturday night.Virginias 37-20 loss to the Spiders last weekend was made worse by the fact that it happened at home, spoiling Mendenhalls debut.I think they were as hopeful as anyone that this would be an immediate turnaround, he said. But its going to take time. And how much Im not certain. But I am positive that it will happen and that the scheme, strategy and coaches that are here will be able to pull that off. Lots and lots of work ahead, steep learning curve still to come.Along that steep curve is the stop at Autzen Stadium, known for its inhospitable noise, and a late start time (10:30 p.m. ET). Then there are the Ducks themselves, who beat UC Davis 53-28 in their opener last weekend.Oregon racked up 522 yards of total offense (271 passing and 251 on the ground), ranking the Ducks third in the Pac-12.That doesnt bode well for the Cavaliers, who allowed 524 in Richmonds third win in 33 meetings between the two teams.I have a simple statement that comes from a book, and it simply says, `The only way out is through, Mendenhall said. We have significant tests coming up that we have to go through, and thats going to season our team, its going to shape our team, its going to mold our team, its going to unite our team. But its also going to expose the things that need to be exposed for us to grow and get better.Mendenhall won 99 games in 11 seasons at BYU before taking over Virginia, which hasnt been to a bowl game since 2011.Other things to watch when Oregon hosts Virginia:GRADUATE TRANSFERS: Oregon and Virginia feature graduate-transfer starting quarterbacks who were solid in their first outings. Oregons Dakota Prukop, who came from Montana State, threw for 271 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another in the victory over UC Davis. Kurt Benkert, who transferred to Virginia from EEast Carolina, threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns but had an interception.ddddddddddddFIRST-GAME FUMBLES: Virginia lost three fumbles in its opener, including two by senior tailback Taquan Mizzell. Mendenhall took responsibility, saying Mizzell was held out of scrimmages and wasnt tackled live in fall camp. In hindsight, the coach said he might have handled it differently.Oregon receiver and special teams standout Charles Nelson also uncharacteristically fumbled twice for turnovers in Oregons opener.I had the first-game jitters. I just took my eye off the ball for a second and fumbled it, Nelson said. Second time, I just tried to make extra yards. I should have run out of bounds. I had the ball in the wrong hand, and the other guy made a great play.GOIN BACK TO CALI: Virginia went west last season, visiting then-No. 13 UCLA and returning home with a 34-16 loss. The Cavaliers are 0-6 against the Pac-12, and their last win west of the Mississippi came in 1999 when they beat BYU 45-40 in Provo.Its an out-of-conference game, so I feel like what we did last season going over to California and playing UCLA, I feel like we went into that game with a lot of momentum and just thinking that `We can do this Even though we ... didnt win that game, but I feel like this year its going to be the same way with a different outcome, Virginia running back Albert Reid said.DUCK DOMINANCE: Oregon visited Virginia and Scott Stadium back in 2013. Future Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, then in his second year as starter for the Ducks, passed for 199 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another 122 yards and a TD in the 59-10 Oregon win.UNIFORMS? OF COURSE!: It really wouldnt be a fall weekend without the introduction of a new Oregon uniform . The model for Virginia is all yellow with what appears to be a stylized wing motif on the shoulders. Matte black helmets with a Duck logo complete the ensemble. Oregon footballs Twitter account called the look swift lightning. ' ' '