Resilient Rainbows ready

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — There is an urge to shake the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine just to see if they have a pulse. Blessed with less than a wealth of talent and almost no Division I volleyball experience, they have serenely beat all odds and opponents as they skip arm-in-arm into the first round of the NCAA Tournament today against Colorado.

A team that starts four underclassmen and no seniors has shown an ability to fight off fear, panic and defeat. "We have come back a lot," coach Dave Shoji says. "More than most teams could ever hope to come back."

Do you think a little snow and a snub from the NCAA are going to throw off the Rainbows?

OK, make that a lot of snow and a slap-in-the-face snub.

Last weekend's storm has left this city 70 miles north of Denver wearing a white blanket that won't melt in sub-freezing temperatures. And, while the 'Bows are wise enough to move on, pretty much everyone in Hawai'i is still searching for a sensible explanation of why their third-seeded, unbeaten and beloved team is here and not home in front of 10,000 fans.

"Our mental health is really good," Shoji insists.

Who can argue? This team has been a case study in over-achieving through faith all season. The players made a commitment to each other from the moment they first gathered in August and haven't backed off since.

"There hasn't been a change," says Michael D'Andrea, a professor in the Department of Counselor Education and psychologist who works with UH athletic teams. "You would expect a little bit of ego, a little bit of strutting, a little bit of casualness, but they're at the same level of realistic confidence. They are not taking anything for granted. They just have a genuine appreciation of each other. I haven't seen a dip. It's amazing."

D'Andrea and his partner, Judith Daniels, watched the Rainbows' reaction to Sunday's NCAA Tournament announcement with fascination. While they were still trying to find the logic in Hawai'i having to leave the next day to travel 3,300 miles, the players were already plotting how to beat Colorado (14-13) and, if they do, ninth-ranked Colorado State (25-3) or Purdue (16-14) tomorrow to reach next week's regional.

"They find it easy to be strong," Daniels said, "because they are a very united group."

They have also proved to be very good. Hawai'i (28-0) is the 14th team in history to enter the NCAA Tournament unbeaten. It is 54-19 in the tournament, with three championships (1982, '83 and '87) and a 20-2 record in the first round. That dips to 4-2 when it plays away from paradise.

Colorado, in contrast, is 8-13 in the postseason. It is making its 13th NCAA appearance in the last 14 years. In the eight years Kapa'a's Pi'i Aiu has coached the Buffs, they are 348-90.

They are also without their best player. Maragda Santillana, from Barcelona, has missed the last month with a rotator cuff injury. Allie Griffin has compensated some with an all-Big 12 season on the right side. She finished fifth in the conference in kills (4.27 per game). Sophomore setter Ashley Nu'u, sixth on CU's career assist list, earned honorable mention. Punahou graduate Krislen Morgado plays defensive specialist.

"We've spent the last four weeks getting used to not having Maragda and trying to pick up the slack," Aiu says. "We've tried a lot of things. We started off really promising with her. Since she was hurt it's been a little disappointing. We are really glad to be in at 14-13.

"We are playing a lot better than we were four weeks ago, but I don't think we're as good as we were early in the season. Maragda is hard to replace. It's like if Kim Willoughby had gone down last year. You never can replace a kid like that."

The home team tonight has reached the Sweet 16 four of the last five years. Colorado State is 10-0 in NCAA Tournament matches at Moby Arena and 5-15 elsewhere. The Rams start four of their five seniors, who have gone 106-22 the last four years, with two Mountain West championships. Setter Melissa Courtney was the MWC Player of the Year this season, and shared the honor last season. Their losses were to Nebraska and Minnesota, seeded No. 1 and No. 4 in the tournament, and 20th-ranked Utah.

Purdue has rallied after losing 7 of 8 mid-season. The Boilermakers are in their first NCAA Tournament in 15 years. Senior Kim McConaha is a major reason why. She's averaging more than four kills and one block a game, hitting .309, and is Purdue's first all-Big Ten first-team selection since 1996.

Maja Gustin, Hawai'i's all-conference middle blocker from last year, has watched the Rainbow Wahine all season. Her advice to them now is don't get caught up in all the madness, and simply play the way they have all year.

She knows they don't need her advice.

"What I love with this team is that they are free," Gustin says. "You can see they are focused and want to play as a team. There are no people sticking out, but there is a team chemistry. It's interesting what you can do together. It's very interesting how far you can come when your hearts are connected. And all the players are for that. It's just so beautiful to see they have love for the game when you watch."

NOTES

Sizzling: UH junior Victoria Prince is hitting .421, which puts her on a pace to break the Western Athletic Conference single-season record of .417, set by Hawai'i's Angelica Ljungquist in 1996.

Get lost: The Rainbows are going for their 200th consecutive victory against an unranked opponent tonight. They haven't lost to an unranked team since Sept. 12, 1997.

Good century: Hawai'i has won more matches (156) since the 2000 season than any other team. Florida (152), Nebraska (149) and Northern Iowa (144) are next, followed by Colorado State and USC, with 138 victories apiece.

Familiarity: WAC teams were 8-1 against the Mountain West this season, but lost all four matches against Big 12 opponents, and the only matchup with a Big Ten team.

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