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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Rainbow Wahine win 13th game in a row

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Aneli Cubi-Otineru

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Aneli Cubi-Otineru had 16 kills to lead No. 11 Hawai'i to its 13th consecutive win in a sweep of Western Athletic Conference foe Utah State yesterday in Logan, Utah.

The scores were 30-27, 30-17, 30-22.

UH is 16-3 overall and 10-0 in the WAC. Utah State is 9-10 and 6-4.

Hawai'i completed a road sweep of Boise State, Idaho and Utah State. They did not drop a game during the stretch.

"This was our third match in five days and sometimes you're fatigued or mentally drained, but our players were really focused well," said Rainbow Wahine head coach Dave Shoji. "We struggled early, but we came back and did enough to win."

Jamie Houston added 14 kills and seven digs.

"Houston continues to put the ball down and play good defense," Shoji said.

Cubi-Otineru had nine digs and hit .364 for the match.

"Aneli had a lot of friends and family here and she just had a good night. Her family fired her up," Shoji said.

Tara Hittle had seven kills and six digs, and Juliana Sanders was in on three blocks and seven kills for Hawai'i.

Hawai'i's next match is at top-ranked Nebraska Sunday.

"We really wanted to concentrate on these last three games on the road," Shoji said. "Now we can focus our attention on Nebraska."

UH then returns home against No. 18 New Mexico State on Oct. 26.

After cruising to a second-game victory, the Rainbow Wahine fell behind, 11-6 in the third game.

But Hittle served six consecutive points, with help from Otineru's two kills, Kari Gregory's block and a Hittle ace, for a 12-11 lead.

After Utah State tied it at 12, the Rainbow Wahine went on an 8-3 run for a 20-15 lead.

The Aggies got as close as 20-17 but a Jessica Keefe kill restored control.

Houston closed the match with a kill.

Utah State hit just .100 for the match and had just seven more kills (36) than errors (29).

Hawai'i committed just 17 errors to 52 kills for a .302 hitting percentage.

Amanda Nielson led the Aggies with 16 kills and nine digs. Melissa Osterloh added eight kills and Danielle Taylor seven.

UH sophomore setter Stephanie Brandt had 43 assists and 12 digs, and freshman libero Elizabeth Ka'aihue had 11 digs.

Monarisa Ale, a 2004 graduate of Kahuku High, started at outside hitter for the Aggies and had four kills and two digs.

UH returns home today before leaving for Nebraska Friday.

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