WAC West co-leaders Fresno, Nevada visit Hawai'i

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Look quickly. Hawai'i is not at the top of the Western Athletic Conference volleyball standings.

Hawai'i swept San Jose State Friday for its 75th consecutive victory against a conference team. UH, which has won seven WAC titles since joining up in 1996, then took a non-conference detour to Santa Clara, where it swept the 16th-ranked Broncos Sunday.

The 'Bows won't play another non-conference match until Arizona Oct. 19. The Wildcats (6-7) were ranked No. 10 in the USA Today/AVCA preseason Top 25, but dropped out of the poll this week after losing at Arizona State.

Fresno State, which has received poll votes 14 of the last 23 weeks, is making a case for taking Arizona's place in the Top 25. FSU lost all-region setter Whitney Arena to injury, is missing five starters from last year and spent four of the last five weeks on the road, yet comes here with a six-match winning streak.

Junior hitter Kristen Fenton has been the WAC's Player of the Week the last two weeks. Her in-your-face style — "She just gets up and takes a rip," UH coach Dave Shoji says — has been good for more than five kills a game; she had 15 in one game against Tulsa.

Freshman Tuli Peters, who helped Kahuku to its first state volleyball title last year, has matured quickly into a reliable complement. She is second on the team in digs and third in kills. Air Force transfer Tiffany Bishop leads the WAC in blocking. Walk-on setter Robyn Keune is third in assists.

The Bulldogs, unlike other WAC teams, thrive in Hawai'i's unique volleyball environment. They see tomorrow as a low-pressure opportunity to make a "big splash" and view the Rainbow Wahine as natural rivals.

Now, FSU just has to find a way to feed the rivalry. It has lost all 30 times it has played UH. The last loss was the closest, with the 'Bows pulling out a 15-10 fifth-game win at Fresno last year.

To beat Hawai'i, FSU coach Lindy Vivas believes her team needs more balance — "As good as Kristen Fenton is, and she's been fabulous every match, she needs help" — along with a big serving night. She also needs her block to bother UH All-Americans Kim Willoughby and Lily Kahumoku.

Vivas, a Punahou School graduate, also knows Hawai'i has the potential to be more dominant this year than in the past.

"They are all one year older and the starters are the same," Vivas says. "They have oodles of talent at the setting position ... I had no doubt that position would be taken care of. If anything, I expect them to be a little better than last year. That's saying a lot for a final four team."

QUICK SETS: The Rainbow Wahine's match at Fresno, originally scheduled for Nov. 8, has been moved to Sunday, Nov. 9. It will be the first official athletic competition at FSU's new Save Mart Center, which holds 16,116. Last year, the Bulldogs had to turn away fans at the UH match, which filled North Gym (1,400 capacity). ... The Rainbow Wahine's annual alumnae match will precede Saturday's Nevada match. The exhibition begins at 5 p.m. ... Hawai'i is 100-1 in the WAC regular season since joining the conference in 1996. That loss came at Brigham Young on Oct. 10, 1998.

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

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