Wahine trounce Bulldogs
Advertiser Staff
Thursday, the University of Hawai'i Wahine felt like they let the fourth game get away before finishing San Jose State in five. Yesterday at Fresno State, the 12th-ranked Wahine muzzled the Bulldogs from beginning to end.
Hawai'i (15-4) won its 12th straight, 30-24, 30-20, 30-15, at Fresno's North Gym. The Wahine's 48th consecutive Western Athletic Conference volleyball victory lasted 1 hour and 25 minutes — exactly an hour less than Thursday's match.
"The key was the first game," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "It was close and we put it together at the end. After that, it didn't look like they (the Bulldogs) had much fight left in them."
Despite getting out-blocked, the Wahine destroyed FSU's defense, hitting .455 to the Bulldogs' .082. Kim Willoughby continued her torrid pace, amassing a match-high 24 kills and hitting .550. Tanja Nikolic and Jennifer Carey hit .700 on the right side.
"Both teams had tough travel schedules," Shoji said. "Fresno was in Reno Thursday night and that was a tough game. I just hoped we wouldn't be flat, but our girls really focused well on both trips so far."
Willoughby went into the week leading the country in kills at 6.6 per game. She averaged more than eight on the three-match trip.
The Wahine, 7-0 in the WAC, don't play again until Saturday, when Nevada comes to the Stan Sheriff Center. The Wolf Pack (7-2) is alone in second in the Western Division. The Bulldogs (11-6, 6-3 WAC) fell into fourth with their first home loss in 10 matches.
"We feel fortunate to come back 3-0 after Thursday," Shoji said. "We were very fortunate to win that match, but I think the team really responded when it had to against better competition."
QUICK SETS: This week 13th-ranked BYU was swept by unranked Utah State and lost in five at 18th-ranked Utah. ... Hawai'i opens November's Bankers Classic against Utah, and could also play No. 13 UOP. ... UH has climbed into the Top 25 nationally in team hitting (T15 at .286), kills per game (T18 at 16.49) and assists per game (10th at 15.32). ... Last night, unranked Michigan upset 11th-ranked Penn State, 30-18, 30-28, 30-27.
