Pacific puts end to Wahine's run

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

STOCKTON, Calif. — Those Wahine who couldn't wait to get out of here three months ago wouldn't go away this weekend. They were finally kicked out of the Spanos Center last night by a volleyball team just as tenacious and much more balanced.

Hawai‘i’s Maja Gustin tries to split the block of Pacific’s Jennifer Joines, left, and Megan Hauschild. Craig Sanders • Special to The Advertiser

Hawai'i goes into the NCAA Tournament 27-5 and hardly humbled. Left for over-rated following the first and third games, the Wahine roared back and even scored the first four points of the final game.

It wasn't enough. UOP had tournament MVP Jamie Hamm (18 kills and digs) and All-American Jennifer Joines (14 kills, 12 blocks), supported in spurts by just enough offense from others and a devastating block.

The Wahine had Willoughby in another astonishing performance, a brilliant offensive streak from Nohea Tano (10-for-15) and 15 kills but 10 errors from Maja Gustin. From there, Hawai'i survived on defense (92 digs) and a stubborn streak that kept it coming back for more.

The Tigers had more — the first opponent that could say that since the Wahine started their season 3-4, including an ugly 0-2 in this arena.

"Obviously we were in control and we let it get away," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "When you're up 4-0 you should probably win the match but we got a little loose. They blocked and served and ran their offense and Hamm finished strong. She only had four kills after Game 2."

The Tigers caught Hawai'i at 8 in the fifth game, and pulled ahead 12-9. But Tano and Gustin got UH within one and when Lauren Duggins and Jennifer Carey stuffed Hamm it was tied.

Pacific called time and scored the final three points, on a Hamm kill, its 15th block and a shanked serve.

"This is a great start on the postseason," UOP coach Jayne McHugh said. "That's what this tournament feels like for us."

It had all the radical twists and turns of the NCAA Tournament. UOP pulled away to win the first and took control of the second. Hawai'i hammered back in Games 2 and 4. Game 5, Tano admitted, was a blur, with both teams playing on fumes and the 2,196 in Spanos alternately elated and dejected.

Tano said UOP setter Megan Hauschild's deception ultimately was the difference in the game, along with the second massive block UH saw in as many nights here.

"Kim and Maja aren't used to seeing a block that big," Tano said. "They practice against us (Tano and Duggins) and nobody in the WAC is like that."

The first game was tied 15 times, with UOP's block bothering everyone but Willoughby — who put down a dozen kills — and the Wahine defense frustrating the Tigers. Hawai'i overcame a 25-21 deficit by bringing Tanja Nikolic into the front row for setter Margaret Vakasausau, but the Tigers got the final two points on Joines' first kill and fourth stuff.

With UH down 3-5 in Game 2 the momentum suddenly shifted to the Wahine. They went on a 20-6 run, with Willoughby, Duggins and Vakasausau serving in four-point surges. The Tigers grew progressively sloppier and had but five kills in the slide, to Willoughby's six. She also received a yellow card for arguing one call, then looked up at the referee after she launched game point.

The momentum shifted just as quickly to UOP moments later as Courtney Miller served six straight to give the Tigers a 10-3 cushion in Game 3. Hawai'i couldn't put an attack together long enough to rally and the game ended with the UH bench getting a second yellow card — for the 29th point — and Duggins making the Wahine's 11th hitting error.

Hawai'i scored the first four points in Game 4 and cruised home, hitting .302 to the Tigers' .186. Willoughby had just six kills — and 11 digs — but Gustin added five and Tano four to give UH its first semblance of balance.

It looked like the Wahine would wear down yet another opponent, but UOP wouldn't go away either.

"We have been very resilient," Shoji said. "The players just work very hard. On every play, everybody is working. The effort is phenomenal. They just grind out points. We put pressure on teams to execute. We don't make a lot of mistakes."

Willoughby promises there will be fewer next week, when Hawai'i enters the part of the season where its first loss is its last.

"This shows us we can be beat," she said. "We didn't want to have the mentality that we can't be beat. And it gives us things to go back in the practice gym and work on. Simple as that.

"In the beginning of the season, we had Nebraska and Wisconsin, USC and UCLA and they showed us what we were doing wrong."

Since then, everything had gone right, until last night.

QUICK SETS: The 64-team NCAA Tournament field will be announced tomorrow at 10 a.m. HST. ...Fairfield won the first two games and was up 12-9 in the fifth, but fell to 13th-ranked Utah, 27-30, 28-30, 30-20, 30-20, 15-13, in last night's consolation match. ... Fairfield (19-12) won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament and the automatic NCAA berth that goes with it. The Utes (23-6) won their first Mountain West championship last weekend. ... The Wahine had to cancel their short practice yesterday morning when an overnight rain and wind storm knocked the power out at Spanos Center. ... This was the fifth Bankers Classic final featuring UOP and Hawai'i. The Wahine won in 1981, '82 and '83, and the Tigers took the 1987 title. ... Western Athletic Conference teams are now 5-4 against the Big West this season. ... Hawai'i leads the team series with UOP, 32-25.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

MVP: Jamie Hamm (UOP)

Joanne Saunders (Fairfield), Kim Turner (Utah), Courtney Miller (UOP), Margaret Vakasausau (UH), Jennifer Joines (UOP), Kim Willoughby (UH).