RAINBOW WAHINE NOTEBOOK
Senior Night close to being sellout

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

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WAC volleyball WHERE: Stan Sheriff Center WHEN: Saturdayi7 p.m., No. 2 HAWAI'I (26-1, 12-0 WAC) vs. San Jose State (8-16, 6-6 WAC) TV/RADIO: Live on KFVE (5) and 1420 AM TICKETS: $12 lower level, $9 upper, $8 senior citizens (65-older), $5 students 4-18, $3 UH system students PARKING: $3 SENIOR NIGHT: Kim Willoughby, Melissa Villaroman, Nohea Tano, Karin Lundqvist, Lily Kahumoku, Maja Gustin and Lauren Duggins will be honored after the match

It is Senior Night for the Rainbow Wahine. Kim Willoughby, Melissa Villaroman, Nohea Tano, Karin Lundqvist, Lily Kahumoku, Maja Gustin and Lauren Duggins will be honored after the match.

The seven have been the foundation for a 120-11 record the past four seasons. They have been to two final fours and have won their last 25 going into the final regular-season home match.

And, they are up to something. After the last home match, Kahumoku promised a "surprise attack" at Senior Night. During Sunday's radio broadcast, she talked about "busting out" a take-off on the warmups used by China's national team, with the team running "figure eights" and "slapping hands like lunatics."

Regardless of what happens early, the scene after the match will be emotional. Willoughby started to cry before a match two weeks ago just thinking about Senior Night. "She was a basket case," UH coach Dave Shoji said.

She also managed to collect herself in time to continue her assault on NCAA records. Willoughby leads the country in kills, at 6.58 per game. She finished her sophomore season No. 1 and was No. 2 last year. Her hitting percentage is up 50 points this season, to nearly .400. She is seventh on the NCAA career kills list with 2,379 — 60 short of sixth.

"In the end it will all work out," Willoughby said. "It's going to be fun. We'll get to look at what the future holds. At the same time, it's really scary."

Last week, the Rainbow Wahine clinched their eighth consecutive Western Athletic Conference regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in next week's WAC Tournament. They have won their last 86 matches against conference opponents.

Kahumoku is hitting .435 and averaging nearly five kills and 4 1/2 digs in her last three matches. The bump up comes since she stayed home to study and heal her sore back while UH traveled to Texas and Louisiana three weeks ago.

"It's amazing what a little rest and, especially, sleep can do for your body," Kahumoku said. "That helped me. I'm hoping it will enable me to get through the entire season strong. Last year I got sick at the end from too much emotion and stress and not enough rest."

All that remains for Saturday are "obstructed" view and single tickets, according to UH. Tickets for the NCAA Regional, Dec. 12 and 13 at Stan Sheriff Center, go on sale Monday.

QUICK SETS: Third-ranked Florida lost second-team All-American Benavia Jenkins for the rest of the season when she injured her knee last month. Jenkins, a senior middle blocker, was leading the country in hitting percentage (.465) when she went down. The Gators' only loss this season came against top-ranked USC here. ... San Jose State's Kimberly Noble is averaging 5.39 kills a game, 16th-best nationally.

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