Wahine win 55th straight in WAC
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
Fans gave University of Hawai'i senior Tanja Nikolic an emotional sendoff last night. The 12th-ranked Wahine gave their fans another perfect WAC regular season in what could be their final home volleyball match of the year.
Hawai'i swept Fresno State, 30-23, 30-20, 30-27, before 6,183 at Stan Sheriff Center.
The Wahine (23-4) go into next week's WAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed, with a 20-match winning streak and no guarantee — because of an NCAA suggested policy to minimize air travel — it will be enough to get them home for the NCAA Tournament.
So, despite a rather ragged performance, they did their best to give the home crowd something to remember. Ultimately that was Nikolic, their only senior and the player whose name the crowd chanted every chance it got.
Nikolic helped the Wahine salvage the final game — Hawai'i's only serious struggle — then spoke eloquently in two languages. Her parents, Zoran and Neda, came from Croatia to help her celebrate. Even they got a standing ovation when they left their Croatian and Hawaiian flags in the stands to join their daughter.
It was a night Nikolic said she had played in her head a million times. It still left her stunned. She hugged her parents and started to cry, then composed herself — "I thought no, I got it, I'm strong" — and spoke in Croatian, then English.
"It was more than I expected," Nikolic said. "I knew I would get a lot of leis and I knew the crowd would be crazy as usual, but I did not expect this. It was amazing."
It created, as Nikolic's best friend and "soul mate" Maja Gustin said, "goose ... what do you call them?"
The sophomore from Slovenia had no problem articulating how much she would miss Nikolic.
"I was so excited tonight because I knew it was her last game probably in Hawai'i," Gustin said. "Every single moment she made a kill or served or was digging or blocking I had ...Êthose bumps.
"I never saw Tanja be so emotional. She was like, I can't believe this is the last day of one of the best parts of your life. Playing volleyball at UH with all these people. But she has to move on also. She'll find herself, I know she will."
The next place she will find herself is the WAC Tournament. Hawai'i, which has now won its last 55 against WAC teams, plays Friday against the winner of Thursday's Seed 7 vs. Seed 10 match. If it advances to Saturday's semifinals, it could see Fresno State again.
The feisty Bulldogs (13-9) gave UH a buffet of food for thought in the first two games last night, but had too many tiny breakdowns. In the third, they made a legitimate bid to take their first game off Hawai'i in three years.
FSU, down 25-23, caught UH at 26 and 27. Hawai'i scored the final three points on a Jennifer Carey kill, Shauna McQuaid's errant swing and a stuff by Carey and Lauren Duggins.
McQuaid, the only senior on FSU's roster, had 13 kills and five stuffs, and helped the Bulldogs bother Kim Willoughby into a dozen hitting errors. She still finished with 22 kills and 14 digs while Gustin added 17 kills.
But it was the Wahine defense that eventually wore down Fresno.
"They play such great defense," said FSU coach, and Punahou graduate, Lindy Vivas. "Our kids were trying really hard and hitting some good shots and they'd be popped up."
QUICK SETS: Fresno State is now 0-27 against the Wahine. ... The Green and White teams split games in last night's alumnae match. The Green won the first, 30-23, and White took the second, 30-24. Former Wahine backrow specialist Shelly Kim, now a nuclear engineer, hit in the front row and blocked middle. Heidi Ilustre led the Green with 10 kills and Mahina Eleneki had eight for the White.
