Hawai'i, UCLA romp to easy Classic opener wins

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i's Kanoe Kamana'o, left, sets up Maja Gustin for a spike in last night's match with Minnesota. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

"I'd like to say we unraveled," coach Mike Hebert said after his Golden Gophers were buried by the 'Bows, 30-20, 30-18, 30-18. "But to get unraveled you have to be 'raveled.' We never were. We played very poorly."

Before 5,553 at Stan Sheriff Center, Minnesota went into meltdown mode in the last half of the first two games. It was outscored 16-7 in the first and 15-5 in the second. When Lily Kahumoku's offense caught up with her teammates in the final game, it was no contest.

Minnesota's top-six showdown turned into a sham, just as Hawai'i's did last week. The Rainbows said that's where the comparison ends.

"You can't compare Minnesota to SC in any way, shape or form," said Kim Willoughby, one of seven UH seniors.

"It's important to note those were preseason polls until today," Kahumoku added. "Only four teams played last week. Prior to tonight, the polls are just an indication of what coaches think."

The coaches thought a team that returned six starters after winning its first Big Ten championship and advancing to the NCAA's Sweet 16 would hit better than .180 and score more than 20 points against a 2-1 Hawai'i team that was swept by the Trojans. They were wrong.

From the moment that match ended, the Rainbow Wahine have been in their own version of group therapy.

"We had more meetings this week than we had all last year," said UH coach Dave Shoji.

"All four years," corrected Maja Gustin, another of his seven seniors.

The Rainbow Wahine's relentless search for communication was rewarded last night. So was their search to establish their middle offense. Freshman setter Kanoe Kamana'o delivered the ball into the eager armswings of Gustin and Lauren Duggins from the first serve. The two middles combined for 17 kills on .441 hitting.

"We felt they were going to block us similar to how USC blocked us," Shoji said. "That was pretty much empty the middle blocker towards our left side. We felt our middles would be open. We passed well so that allowed us to run the middle, and Duggins and Maja were up early and hit the ball hard, which is what they need to do.

"That's what we've been talking about for two years — trying to spread the offense and get our middles involved — and that happened tonight."

It opened up the outside for the All-Americans. Willoughby and Kahumoku both struggled in the first game, but Willoughby scorched the Gophers for 10 kills in 13 swings in the second game and Kahumoku went 7 for 12 in the third.

"Somebody lit a fire under my okole," Kahumoku said, roughly. "Dave told me to talk more, fire up. I brought the energy. I take awhile. Seeing Maja and Lauren come out ... I was inspired just watching them. I was like 'Wow, we're way more balanced.' ... I was excited. That fired me up. In the third game I made a little more communication with our setter."

Before the second game was over, 11 Gophers had played. Only second-team All-America hitter Cassie Busse and third-team All-America libero Paula Gentil were semi-successful and Gentil had to endure two blasts by Willoughby at the 10-foot line to get her 14 digs.

QUICK SETS: In the opener, 13th-ranked UCLA swept 22nd-ranked Louisville, 30-24, 30-13, 32-30. The Cardinals, down 29-26, fought off four match points before going down. ... Minnesota and Louisville play this afternoon at 1 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center. There is no admission charge. ... UCLA and Hawai'i have won 13 of the previous 15 tournament titles.

WHERE: Stan Sheriff Center

SCHEDULE: Today: 1 p.m., Minnesota vs. Louisville. Tomorrow: 3 p.m., UCLA vs. Minnesota; 5 p.m. (approximately), Louisville vs. HAWAI'I. Monday: 4 p.m., UCLA vs. HAWAI'I

TV/RADIO: K5 (Channel 5) will broadcast all matches but today's live and 1420 AM will broadcast UH matches live

TICKETS: $16 lower level, $13 upper level, $9 senior citizens (65-older), $6 students 4-18 and $3 UH System students. Today's match free.

PARKING: $3

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.