Licensed to kill

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i seniors Lily Kahumoku, left, and Kim Willoughby have different approaches to hitting — "The yin and yang of outside hitters," says former Nebraska coach Terry Pettit — but the same goal: to do anything to win a match. Advertiser library photos NCAA Volleyball Regionals WHERE: Stan Sheriff Center WHEN: Tomorrow—5 p.m., No. 7 Georgia Tech (33-3) vs. No. 10 Cal (25-6), followed no earlier than 7 p.m. by No. 2 Hawai'i (34-1) vs. No. 15 Illinois (26-6). Winners play Saturday at 7 p.m. RADIO: Live on 1420 AM TV: To be announced TICKETS: Two-night packages are $26 lower level and $20 upper level. Tickets for individual nights ($14 for lower, $11 for upper) will go on sale tomorrow. Approximately 2,800 tickets were available as of yesterday afternoon. PARKING: $3

One or two home volleyball matches remain. The University of Hawai'i's wondrous run with these seven seniors is near an end. Time to experience Kim Willoughby and Lily Kahumoku up close and personal is nearing and end.

Both have soared to the top of the Rainbow Wahine career kills list, and up the NCAA list, despite playing with rally-scoring and sharing one volleyball. They can hurt you from anywhere on the court.

And if you haven't seen them in person, you really haven't seen them. Nothing can capture the feeling of 10,000 people holding their breath as Willoughby approaches the volleyball. Nothing can describe the vivid imagination of Kahumoku's vast repertoire.

They are extraordinarily good, and 180-degree opposites.

"The yin and yang of outside hitters," former Nebraska coach Terry Pettit says.

Nevada sophomore Salaia Salave'a idolizes the Rainbow All-Americans. She is in awe of "The Lily Zone," as former UH teammate Jen Carey used to call it, and Willoughby's relentless attack. Salave'a dreams of becoming a combination of the two.

"I want to be like Kim, be scary. And I want to be like Lily," she says. "I want to be a scary and smart player."

Penn State coach Russ Rose brings the comparison home.

"Kim is such an extraordinary athlete, so powerful and ballistic," Rose says. "Lily kind of embraces the flavor of the island ... just flows.

"Because of those two people, Hawai'i is a threat to beat a team like (top-ranked) USC. You can't win it without having outside hitters with the ability to generate points at a very high level."

The Rainbows have had that for the final two years of Kahumoku's and Willoughby's careers. They will be the first to tell you how crucial their supporting cast is. Their teammates, without hesitation, will tell you they are the franchise.

"How can you think you can win when we have Kim and Lily?" co-captain Lauren Duggins once asked.

It has been a wild ride, a little like Willoughby's hitting approach.

After an All-America sophomore season that ended in the final four, Kahumoku took her junior year off to "control her destiny." Willoughby lifted the Rainbow Wahine into the NCAA Regionals with a breakout sophomore year.

"She carried it, she was phenomenal," Kahumoku says. "Her learning curve accelerated, that's for sure. She is such a gifted and talented athlete. In my absence she needed to step up and she did, above and beyond anything we expected. We are very grateful."

Their relationship is as compelling and complicated as their games, yet somehow, for four years, they have managed to meet in the middle. They knew instinctively this would not work otherwise. They have worked to make it work, to make their team win.

Willoughby describes her relationship with Kahumoku as "something very unique."

"We're two people with totally different everything," Willoughby says. "Different families, different cultures, different friends, different types of volleyball, different thoughts on every subject. Yet, at the same time, we can be best friends.

"We have our own opinions. We can argue right now and be best friends an hour later. A lot of people can't do that, can't deal with someone yelling at them. But I know she does it because, one, she cares about me, and, two, she's not just doing it for fun. There's a reason for everything."

Willoughby and Kahumoku have a similar relationship with UH coach Dave Shoji. Duggins jokingly describes him as "somewhat of a father figure to them ..."

Shoji has had his moments with each over the years, and they have had their moments with each other. But the respect has never wavered, even with the bright lights of Hawai'i volleyball shining non-stop.

"Nobody understands what they go through in that sense," Shoji says. "I can't imagine how they deal with all the people. But their common goal is wanting to win, and they do everything they can to make that happen."

And it has happened, over and over. Hawai'i has had the unique opportunity to sit back and watch ... in awe and appreciation.

"There are not very many of them in the world," says USC coach Mick Haley, who previously coached the Olympic team. "To have a chance to watch them move and compete is a real treat that people should not look past. They should look at the things they do better than anybody else, with all the elite kids in college.

"It's a pretty amazing situation in Hawai'i because of those players."

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

3 'Bows, Shoji selected all-West

Hawai'i freshman Kanoe Kamana'o was named all-West Region yesterday, along with senior teammates Lily Kahumoku and Kim Willoughby.

Kamana'o was also named Region Freshman of the Year and UH's Dave Shoji Region Coach of the Year.

The eight all-region teams were announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. The 12 players on each team are eligible for All-America honors. Kamana'o and Shoji are eligible for national Freshman and Coach of the Year honors, respectively.

Rainbow Wahine co-captain Lauren Duggins earned honorable mention on the West Region team, which does not make her All-America eligible. Duggins was a third-team All-American last season. Kahumoku and Willoughby are two-time first-team All-Americans.

This is Shoji's sixth all-region honor, but first since 1998.

Fresno State junior Kristen Fenton is the only other Western Athletic Conference player on the all-region team.

Illinois, which plays Hawai'i in tomorrow's NCAA regional, placed senior middle blocker Lisa Argabright and junior setter Erin Virtue named on the all-Mideast Region team. Cal's Mia Jerkov, whose team plays Georgia Tech in the regional here tomorrow, was named to the all-Pacific Region team for the second year.

QUICK SETS: Maja Gustin's status for this week remains uncertain. The Hawai'i senior middle sprained her ankle against Idaho Thursday. She is hitting .362, with 2.25 kills a game and 0.91 blocks. ... Hawai'i recruit Tara Hittle is the Rocky Mountain News Player of the Year in Colorado. ... The annual Rainbow Wahine Banquet will be Jan. 18 at Hale Koa Hotel. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m., with cocktails at 5:30. Tickets are $35 until Dec. 31 and $50 after. Call 735-8697 for information and reservations. ... Hawai'i is 52-18 in the NCAA Tournament, including 21-11 in regionals. ... It has played Illinois twice in the postseason, beating the Illini in the 1987 and '88 national semifinals. ... The 'Bows are 100-26 overall in the postseason, with 48 victories in the AIAW. ... Georgia Tech and Cal are both making their inaugural regional appearances. This is the seventh NCAA Tournament for each school.