Rainbow Wahine in need of challenge
Advertiser Staff
Hawai'i was hoping this would be the week a volleyball team would finally get in its face to revive its competitive spirit to say nothing of its crowd after a month of mediocre opponents.
WHERE: Stan Sheriff Center WHEN: Tomorrow 7 p.m., No. 2 Hawai'i (17-1, 5-0 WAC) vs. Louisiana Tech (13-8, 2-3 WAC). SaturdayiNo. 2 Hawai'i vs. Southern Methodist (14-4, 5-0 WAC). SundayiNo. 2 Hawai'i vs. Arizona (7-10, 1-6 Pac-10) TV/RADIO: Live on KFVE (5) and 1420 AM TICKETS: WAC matches $12 lower level, $9 upper, $8 senior citizens (65-older), $5 students 4-18, $3 UH system students. Sundayi$16 lower level, $13 upper, $9 senior citizens (65-older), $5 students 4-18, $3 UH system students. PARKING: $3
Then Arizona, ranked 10th at the end of last year and the beginning of this season, played its way out of the poll. Suddenly, Southern Methodist, unbeaten in the Western Athletic Conference and running away with the East Division, might be this week's toughest opponent.
UH volleyball
The second-ranked Rainbow Wahine (17-1) have won their last 16 and not dropped a game in a month. They play conference matches against Louisiana Tech and SMU, then take on Arizona of the Pac-10 Sunday.
The Wildcats (7-10) might have been the country's biggest disappointment until last week, when they upset then-No. 8 UCLA a team that took UH to five games last month. The thrill wore off within 24 hours, as top-ranked Southern California smashed Arizona the next night, hitting a school-record .595.
The Wildcats have worked their way through three setters and assorted injuries, but cannot seem to shake basic ballhandling problems.
"Their ballhandling is suspect, but they certainly have the potential to beat anybody," UH coach Dave Shoji says. "We need to serve tough. They've got enough talent that we can't ignore anybody. ... They've got a lot of talent out there, but you've got to get the pass up to the net and they have not been able to do that on a consistent basis."
Kim Glass, last season's national freshman of the year, has been Arizona's bright spot. She's led the team in kills every match and is 15th nationally at nearly 5 1/2 a game. She helped the 'Cats climb into their seventh straight NCAA Tournament last season.
Louisiana Tech (13-8, 2-3 WAC) and SMU (14-4, 5-0 WAC) do not have any player as imposing, but their seasons have been more successful, though that might be relative. Despite all its problems, Arizona is No. 27 in the Ballicora power index, which ranks all teams based on results and strength of schedule.
Tech, anchored by Brazilians Cristine Sant'Anna (six 20-plus kill matches) and Lia Mora (WAC-high 13 double-doubles), is No. 137. Its most impressive victories came against two teams rated No. 118.
SMU visits San Jose State tonight with a school-record nine-match winning streak. Still, the Mustangs only merit a No. 72 rating because they have played just six top-100 teams, beating three.
SMU's last loss was a month ago to Arizona State, which also beat Arizona to knock it out of the Top 25 for the first time in five years. ASU lost to Nevada, which Hawai'i hammered here two weeks ago.
The Mustangs beat Rice Saturday to take control of the East. They are led by junior Beth Karasek, the WAC digs leader, and sophomores Jessica Mihm, Ashley Zener and Kelly Larkan.
Hawai'i expects All-American Kim Willoughby to play this week. She missed last week's WAC trip with strep throat.
QUICK SETS: Tuli Peters, Fresno State freshman and Kahuku High graduate, leads the WAC with 4.88 digs per game in conference matches. ... Also in WAC matches only, Hawai'i's Maja Gustin leads the conference with a hitting percentage of .475. ... The WAC is 7-7 against ranked teams this season, with Hawai'i 7-1 and the rest of the conference 0-6. ... In national statistics, the Rainbow Wahine are second in kills (18.08), third in assists (16.58) and fourth in hitting percentage (.343). ... Individually, Kim Willoughby leads the country in kills (6.76) and is one of four WAC players in the Top 20. UH freshman Kanoe Kamana'o is 14th in assists (13.20). Willoughby is ninth in hitting (.427) and Lauren Duggins 19th (.403).