Wahine win 10th match in a row

Advertiser Staff

San Diego State stalled 12th-ranked University of Hawai'i's streak, but couldn't stop it last night. The visiting Wahine won their 10th consecutive volleyball match, 30-18, 30-22, 23-30, 30-19 at Cox Arena.

Hawai'i's Kim Willoughby, who leads the country in kills, got 32 last night, and added a career-high 25 digs. She buried her first six swings and had her 12th double-double of the year by Game 2.

"Obviously, we need her to get a lot of kills," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "She continues to play unbelievably. Her arm is a little sore and I'd like to rest her, but we can't afford her out of the lineup. She was phenomenal again tonight."

The most compelling team statistic might have been digs. The Wahine (13-4) had 70 while San Diego State managed just 37 — 12 more than Willoughby.

In Game 3, the Aztecs finally put up a block, and a fight. They won eight of the last nine points to take a game, only the second the Wahine have lost during their streak.

SDSU stayed with Hawai'i to 10-all in the fourth, but UH scored eight of the next 10, with Melissa Villaroman serving four straight.

"Whenever you win games by that margin on the road you've got to be happy," Shoji said. "It's really hard to maintain that level, but it would have been nice to get out of there in three.

"We brought it back to that level in the fourth. It was close for awhile, then everybody stepped it up. Jen Carey got some key points and hit well at the end."

SDSU (10-7) has lost its last three, all to Top-20 teams. The Aztecs trail the series with UH 35-3 and haven't won in 16 years.

The Wahine play WAC matches at San Jose State tonight and Fresno State Saturday. The Spartans and Bulldogs are tied for second, behind Hawai'i, in the Western Division.

QUICK SETS: Today's match at San Jose will be broadcast live on 1420 AM, beginning at 3:45 p.m. HST. ... Former Wahine Heather Bown and Kee Williams i with 2-year-old son, Markeese i watched last night's match.