Posted on: Wednesday, October 6, 2004
Rainbow Wahine unbeaten, unsettled
| • | Ferd Lewis: There may be room at top for UH |
Advertiser Staff
Even on the 12-0, fourth-ranked University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team the lineup is not "set in stone," head coach Dave Shoji said, promising a reevaluation of the starters yesterday.
The Rainbow Wahine beat Fresno State in four games Thursday and then rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Nevada in five games Saturday on the just-completed road trip, performances that have Shoji reexamining his lineup for this week.
"We're going to look at the lineup once again; nothing is set in stone," Shoji said as the Rainbow Wahine returned to practice for this week's Western Athletic Conference matches with Boise State on Friday and Texas-El Paso on Sunday at the Stan Sheriff Center.
"Based on our performances at Fresno and Nevada, I don't think we played our best volleyball," Shoji said. "At this point in the season we've got to keep improving. Everybody needs to be on notice that that's not acceptable and they need to keep pushing."
Shoji did not mention any player by name, but said the team needs more production at left-side hitter, middle blocker and libero.
The current starters are left-side hitters Alicia Arnott and Susie Boogaard, setter Kanoe Kamana'o, middles Victoria Prince and Juliana Sanders, right-side hitter Tara Hittle and libero Ashley Watanabe.
Boogaard yesterday said news of possible lineup changes concerned her, and made her want to work harder. The junior leads the team in kills (191) and kills per game (3.90).
"I obviously don't want to lose the outside position, because I'm having a great time playing that," Boogaard said. "I just have to work hard and prove myself back. Everyone is going to play great wherever they get put. As long as our team is performing, that's what I care about."
On Saturday, Shoji replaced Watanabe, who has started all 12 matches at libero this season, with Teisa Fotu during the Nevada match.
