Wahine run WAC streak to 52 in a row

Advertiser Staff

Last night 12th-ranked University of Hawai'i gave yet another vivid demonstration of how vast the volleyball gap is between the Wahine and the rest of the Western Athletic Conference.

Before a loud, record crowd in Reno, against a second-place Nevada team that was unbeaten at home, Hawai'i swept the Wolf Pack, 30-18, 30-23, 30-20. With the victory, UH clinched the WAC Tournament's top seed and at least a tie for the regular-season championship, with three matches remaining.

The Wahine (19-4) have won their last 16 and are 10-0 in conference. They have won their last 52 against WAC opponents and are 83-1 since joining the conference.

"The league is more even this year," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "San Jose is closer to us, Nevada is closer than it has been, and Fresno is closer. But we've got enough good players to win the conference and we haven't dropped any on the road, which is something no one else can say."

The Wahine, who beat Nevada in four games here a week ago, trailed for mere minutes last night — at 0-1 in Game 1 and early in Game 3. They held the Wolf Pack (14-6, 8-3 WAC) to .079 hitting before the biggest crowd to ever watch volleyball in its Virginia Street Gym (1,419).

The Wahine scored 15 of the last 19 points in Game 1, with Kim Willoughby serving seven straight. They escaped their largest deficit — 5-8 — in the third game when Maja Gustin got the serve with a kill, then scored six in a row, including two aces.

"We knew we couldn't let the crowd get back into the game," Shoji said. "We gave up some points early in Game 3, then worked real hard not to let them back in."

The Wolf Pack wouldn't get close again, with Willoughby going for 17 kills and Wahine middles Nohea Tano (8 kills) and Lauren Duggins (7) hitting .500.

Nevada can clinch the No. 2 seed by beating Boise State Friday. It moved into second place Thursday by defeating San Jose, whose seeding is hurt by a loss to an Eastern Division team. The Pack dropped to third in the West last night.

QUICK SETS: The Wahine play at Boise State tonight. The match will not be broadcast because of UH football. ... UH plays No. 21 UC-Santa Barbara Monday. ... In a non-conference match Thursday, Rice upset Arkansas in five. The Owls were 81st in the Ballicora power rankings and the Razorbacks 40th.