Wahine not up to USC challenge
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
Clearly, the University of Hawai'i bit off more than it could chew with a steady diet of Top-10 teams the first three weeks of the volleyball season. The Wahine must now wait to see if this ranking-rich start will help them.
Sixth-ranked Southern California slapped 10th-ranked Hawai'i around for two games before getting slapped back in a 30-17, 30-19, 33-31 sweep at last night's Aston Imua Challenge. The Wahine (3-4) close the Challenge today, at 1 p.m., against Cincinnati.
It was Hawai'i's first loss in the seven-year history of the event. All this season's losses have come against Top-10 teams, and all have been sweeps.
"We play these teams now and see what we have to do," said sophomore Kim Willoughby, the only Wahine who started last night and last year. "We find things that we really need to work on.
"Now, we go back in the practice gym, put it together and keep working on it. Now we can experiment a lot more."
It took two games last night, but the Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 5,545 finally saw something worth cheering for in Game 3.
Maja Gustin, struggling through a position switch, went off after a 5-0 Trojan run gave them a 7-3 advantage. Gustin buried nine kills in the final game, including four in a row that tied it at 25.
"I think she got mad at herself and mad at everything that was going on," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "That was good. She needs to play like that."
The teams traded points to 28-all. Willoughby's 21st kill defied USC's first swing for the match, and tied it at 29. Then Melody Eckmier and Nohea Tano stuffed Trojan freshman Keao Burdine to give UH a swing for the game.
Burdine stifled that and Jennifer Pahl, USC's only senior, sent an overpass straight down. The Trojans missed their next serve for the match, but got another shot and ended it on Burdine's 14th kill.
"In the third game, we were like, we can't lose again," Gustin said. "We did our best then, but maybe it was too late.
"Why I always start playing at the end ... I need to stop it. I need to start from the beginning. Our lesson tonight is from the beginning, and to the end, of course. For this team, this year, everything is learning."
Nothing that happened the first 85 minutes was nearly as entertaining as the last 10. The Trojans (3-1) ripped UH with ruthless efficiency, collecting eight runs of at least three consecutive points.
In contrast, the Wahine — trying desperately to avoid USC's massive block — could only cluster hitting errors. They finished with 28, to USC's 8. Tanja Nikolic, Hawai'i's only senior, had a nightmarish night (2 kills, 11 errors). Lauren Duggins and Eckmier never got in the flow against a team that was, on average, four inches taller per starter.
Until Game 3, when Willoughby, Gustin, setter Margaret Vakasausau and Hawai'i's spectacular defenders dragged them into what was finally a fair fight.
Burdine (14 kills) led USC's attack, with second-team All-Americans April Ross and Pahl adding 12 each. Pahl also dropped in on all 10 USC blocks.
Quick sets: In a 2 hour-plus opener, Utah State scored the final four points to outlast Cincinnati, 32-30, 23-30, 30-21, 25-30, 15-11. The Aggies (3-2) upped their Challenge record to 1-1 while the Bearcats (2-2) are 0-2. ... San Jose State, picked to finish second in the WAC behind UH, lost to 14th-ranked Minnesota in four games last night.
