UH downplays 6-0 start

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

When you are young and in shock, it is not hard to be humble.

Boogaard

Going into this weekend's Waikiki Beach Marriott Invitational, the 'Bows (6-0) are No. 7 with a bullet — three wins over ranked teams — and still no trace of ego.

"We have so much to improve on, and we're going to keep playing better," says junior Susie Boogaard. "There's no way we think we're good. We look at our film and we're like, 'I can't believe I was doing that.'

"It's exciting to know that we've worked hard and we're in condition to go far already, when we're not even very good."

In a season where every match might be a test, two more critical mid-terms are waiting this weekend. Hawai'i plays 14th-ranked California tomorrow. Saturday it takes on UC-Irvine, which has 52 points in the poll and third-team All-American Kelly Wing.

Cal closed last season here in the regionals. It started this year No. 10, but dropped this week after being swept by new-No. 10 UC-Santa Barbara and No. 12 Texas A&M.

That is not all the Bears have lost. Second-team All-American Mia Jerkov, with her six kills a game, is back home training with the Croatian national team. Last spring, the 6-foot-4 hitter put her senior season in jeopardy when she played with a Russian club team in the same professional league former UH All-Americans Lily Kahumoku and Lauren Duggins were in.

"They're finding out what we thought might happen with our team," says UH coach Dave Shoji, who lost seven seniors from last season, including national Player of the Year Kim Willoughby. "It's hard to win when you are so used to going to one person and now you don't have her. They've still got a tremendous athletic team, but there's not someone to step up and make plays at the end."

Hawai'i has found those players every night, particularly in its trio of five-game matches. The 'Bows have been remarkably balanced and ridiculously poised, playing their way out of funks with sophomore setter Kanoe Kamana'o finding the hot hand at every crucial moment.

It is never the same hand it was during the 2002 and 2003 final-four years.

Transfer Victoria Prince is hitting .389. Libero Ashley Watanabe, averaging more than four digs a game, is on pace to break the school record.

Left-side hitters Alicia Arnott and Boogaard have stabilized Hawai'i's most at-risk position. In a precise testament to their equal contributions, both average a team-high 3.62 kills.

Freshman Tara Hittle had double-doubles (10-plus kills and digs) every night last week. Kari Gregory, another freshman, has better than bailed out the banged-up middle position, averaging a team-high 1.77 blocks.

Melody Eckmier and Juliana Sanders, starters in the middle to begin the season, are healthy now for the first time since injuring ankles the first two matches. Shoji expects to name his starters today.

So far, every move he has made has worked. This week, he has asked his team to concentrate on why.

"We talk about keeping our humbleness and focus and understanding why we've won," Shoji says. "I hope they do. They have to understand that every night out is a challenge and they really have to focus or we'll struggle."

NOTES

Irvine is coached by former Rainbow Wahine assistant Charlie Brande. Moanalua graduate Amanda Vazquez is the Anteaters' leading blocker. UCI was picked to finish second in the Big West, with Long Beach State and behind UC-Santa Barbara.

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