Updated at 4:03 p.m., Friday, November 16, 2007
UH volleyball sweeps Nevada to advance to WAC final
Advertiser Staff
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Hawai'i got off to another quick start today, held on by its fingernails for two games against Nevada, then cruised into tomorrow's Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament championship with a 30-27, 30-28, 30-21 win.WAC Player of the Year Jamie Houston led the Rainbow Wahine with 27 kills at Pan American Center.
The 11th-ranked Rainbows (23-5), who are seeded first, will play for their 10th consecutive WAC title. Their opponent will be the winner of tonight's other semifinal between 13th-ranked New Mexico State, seeded second, and sixth-seeded San Jose State.
Fourth-seeded Nevada finished its season 16-11. It was the fifth time in the last six years UH has beaten the Wolf Pack in this tournament.
Nevada went down digging and screaming, with the New Mexico State crowd screaming with it. The Pack could not contain Houston, who buried 21 kills in the first two games. Aneli Cubi-Otineru added 13 kills for the Rainbows.
Hawai'i, which won nine of the first 10 points against Boise State yesterday, broke to a 13-6 advantage to start its semifinal. Houston planted five of her first six swings. The Wolf Pack rallied to get within 27-24 before the 'Bows could finish it off.
Nevada rode the rally's momentum into a second game full of spurts and eight ties. UH took control when an 8-3 surge put it up 22-17, but the Pack came back to tie it at 27 and 28. Cubi-Otineru's ninth kill — without an error — put the 'Bows at game point and she stuffed it with Kari Gregory.
The Pack had nothing to come back with. Hawai'i ripped to a 15-6 lead in Game 3 and did not let Nevada get close again.
Senior Karly Sipherd led Nevada with 13 kills. Freshman Kylie Harrington, a St. Francis graduate, had one kill off the bench in the loss.
The championship match is scheduled for 4 p.m. tomorrow and will be broadcasted live on KFVE and 1420 AM. Today's match will be rebroadcasted later on KFVE at 10:30 p.m., as will the championship match tomorrow at 10:30 p.m.
NOTES
Kamehameha senior setter/liberoTatiana Santiago officially signed with Nevada yesterday. Santiago, 5-foot-7, was a four-year starter and team captain as a senior, when the Warriors won their third straight state championship. "Tatiana is one of the best setters I have seen in a long time," Nevada coach Devin Scruggs said. "She knows how to run a fast offense and has the work ethic and game sense to make any hitter better."
Several players with Hawai'i ties were among the 127 player transfers of United States citizens that USA Volleyball processed recently, to play professional volleyball in foreign leagues as of Nov. 12. Team USA members Robyn Ah Mow-Santos (VBC Volero in Switzerland). Lindsey Berg (Asystel Volley in Italy), Heather Bown (Jesi in Italy), Therese Crawford (Fenerbahce Spor Kulubu in Turkey), and Clay Stanley (Sport Club Dinamo–Tattransgas Kazan in Russia) and Delano Thomas (ACH Volley in Slovenia) have all filed their papers. Former Rainbows Brian Beckwith (Orkelljunga in Sweden), Tony Ching (Kastamonu Bozkurt Belediyespor in Turkey), Lily Kahumoku (Clubul Sportiv Rapid Bucuresti in Romania) and Kim Willoughby (Chieri Volley in Italy) will also play overseas.
