UH sports
No. 12 Wahine, Santa Clara will play after two-week layoff
Advertiser Staff
A year ago, Santa Clara let Long Beach State steal a win in the NCAA Volleyball Championship. The University of Hawai'i did not, holding off Long Beach in a five-game regional and reaching the final four.
The No. 12 Wahine (4-4) and No. 20 Santa Clara Broncos (7-1) play this weekend with a total of three starters back from that memorable week nearly 10 months ago. The non-conference series is the first competition for both teams in nearly two weeks.
First serve is 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Stan Sheriff Center. The following weekend, UH opens its Western Athletic Conference schedule at Louisiana Tech.
Santa Clara lost five players off last year's 27-5 team, which won the West Coast Conference and barely lost to The Beach. Jami Bari, who has double-doubles her last five matches, and Becky Potter, the 2000 WCC Freshman of the Year, are the only returning starters.
Despite the pukas, Santa Clara is coming off its first victory over UC-Santa Barbara in 17 years, an upset that moved the Broncos up four spots in last week's poll. Monday's poll was nearly identical because no Top-25 team played last week.
Santa Clara has also defeated San Jose State and Nevada — picked to finish second and third behind Hawai'i in the WAC. Its only loss came in three games against No. 19 South Carolina.
Kim Willoughby is the Wahine's lone returning starter. Maja Gustin, who shared WAC Freshman of the Year honors with Willoughby last season, has switched positions and rotates into the front row. Margaret Vakasausau is setting in front of two-year starter Jennifer Carey. Every other UH starter of a year ago is no longer on the roster.
All of Hawai'i's losses have come against Top-10 teams. Its offense is tilted dramatically toward Willoughby, averaging nearly six kills — best in the WAC — and 3à digs a game. She has collected double-doubles in all but one match and launched at least 20 kills in all but two.
QUICK SETS: Waldo Woods, great grandfather of Santa Clara senior Jami Bari, invented Hawaiian Punch. ... Replays of the "Daniel Ho: Finding My Way Concert," featuring former Wahine Andrea Gomez-Tukuafu, will be shown through the end of October on Oceanic Cable channel 16. Broadcasts are scheduled for Friday, 6:30 p.m.; Sept. 28, 6:30 p.m.; Oct. 5, 6:30 p.m.; Oct. 6, 1 p.m.; Oct. 8, 10 p.m.; Oct. 17, 6 p.m.; Oct. 23, 6 p.m.; and, Oct. 27, 10:30 p.m.
