Stanford's feeling the departure of Tom

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

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Sprint Hawai'i Invitational HERE: Stan Sheriff Center WHEN: Tomorrow—5 p.m., No. 4 Stanford (5-1) vs. Weber State (2-4); 7, No. 2 HAWAI'I (7-1) vs. Utah State (5-2). Saturday—5 p.m. consolation; 7 p.m. championship. TV/RADIO: KFVE (5) and 1420 AM will broadcast all UH matches live, except if Hawai'i plays 5 p.m. Saturday match. That would be televised on a delayed basis at 7 p.m. TICKETS: Tomorrowi$14 lower level, $11 upper, $8 senior citizens (65-older), $6 students 4-18, $3 UH System students. Saturdayi$16 lower level, $13 upper level, $9 senior citizens (65-older), $6 students 4-18 and $3 UH System students. PARKING: $3

A fitting picture for one of the finest collegiate players in history, who now makes a living playing professionally overseas and with the U.S. national team — and whose father Mel graduated from Maryknoll on his way to the NFL.

Coming into the Sprint Hawai'i Invitational this weekend, the Cardinal are trying to shake a serious case of Logan Tom withdrawal.

The country's fourth-ranked team thought it might "magically" be OK after opening with four victories. Then third-ranked Florida slapped Stanford around Saturday, winning in three.

"We saw tape from when Florida played in Hawai'i and two weeks later they were much better — very much in system, very terminating volleyball," Stanford coach John Dunning said. "We could sustain it eight or 10 serves, then we'd break down and there was no Logan to bail us out."

The Cardinal return All-American middle blocker Sara McGee and second-team All-American Ogonna Nnamani. Dunning does not expect either to follow in Tom's shoes. No one could.

"You just have to discard the shoes," Dunning laments.

And start again, with no memory of Logan Tom. Leave those memories to the opponents Stanford smashed while Tom was converting seemingly every important point the last four years. Everybody still wants a piece of the Cardinal — none more than the second-ranked Rainbow Wahine — and now it has to learn to cope without her.

Hawai'i's only two losses last year were to Stanford. Nnamani buried the 'Bows before a sellout crowd here during the regular season. Tom broke Hawai'i's heart in last year's final four, coming out of nowhere to dig balls, bury kills and shovel dirt over the UH season.

Hawai'i has not defeated the Cardinal since 1991. The next year, Stanford won the first of its five national championships. If both teams win or lose tomorrow night, the 'Bows will get a welcome opportunity to end a rare slide.

"It would be a big match for us," UH coach Dave Shoji says. "We haven't won a huge match here in the last year — at home, in front of a big crowd."

Stanford is looking for that "huge" win this year to give it back its confidence. Dunning says his team has been "miserable" since Saturday. He regrets the loss immensely, but knows it will prove invaluable.

"We just have to do things differently," he says. "If we can't find out who we are without her it's going to be a long season."

It's going to be, Dunning and Shoji agree, much like what Hawai'i will go through next season when it loses seven seniors, including All-Americans Lily Kahumoku and Kim Willoughby.

It is a future Shoji will not ponder. "We don't go there," he says. "I'm not overly concerned about next year."

QUICK SETS: Maui's Leahi Hall had a career-high 13 digs against Florida. The Stanford junior is a graduate of King Kekaulike. ... The Cardinal are averaging more than four blocks a game, twice as many as its opponents. ... Hawai'i is first in the country in attendance after the first survey. The Rainbow Wahine averaged 7,107 in their first eight matches. Wisconsin is second at 3,186.

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