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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, December 18, 2002

Taking time to tour Big Easy before focusing on volleyball

As the University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team prepares for tomorrow's national semifinals, senior setters Jen Carey and Margaret Vakasausau have agreed to share their thoughts. Today, Carey talks about what it feels like to be in the NCAA final four. Vakasausau's journal will appear tomorrow.

We're finally here.

In the New Orleans airport there were a bunch of signs and banners announcing the NCAA Championships and that's when it hit me, we're at the final four. We've been working so hard to get here and now the real tournament begins.

Dave (Shoji) gave us Monday off to do as we please, so a few of us chose to explore New Orleans. We walked down to the Riverfront and did a little sightseeing and shopping. We shop wherever we go. Many of us have to take finals down here, so a lot of our time is dedicated to studying. Seriously.

I had to take one final early this morning. After that, Margaret and I went to get some breakfast before heading to practice at 2 p.m. We happened to stumble upon the New Orleans Bowl parade. We were obviously cheering for North Texas, which wears the same color green as UH. They even threw us some green beads, without any clothing being removed.

Oh, by the way, they're playing Cincinnati, so we had to exchange a few verbal shots. (No worries, we didn't take any swings)

We were able to practice at a local high school and it felt good to finally get back into the gym to take care of volleyball matters, which is the whole reason we're here.

Tonight is the last time we can act like tourists, so we're going to a dinner-jazz show to get a taste of New Orleans. "Y'all need me to bring back some gumbo?"