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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 5:14 p.m., Friday, December 12, 2008

Rainbow Wahine top Purdue, face Stanford in NCAA regional final

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Kanani Danielson had 21 kills to lead the Rainbow Wahine in a victory over Purdue in a regional match of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament at Fort Collins, Colo.

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FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Seventh-seeded Hawai'i somehow found its way past 10th-seeded Purdue in an NCAA Volleyball Championship regional semifinal tonight at Moby Arena. The Rainbow Wahine (31-3) rallied in every way, shape and form to beat the Boilermakers, 18-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-20, and end their season at 26-9.

Hawai'i's 18th consecutive victory puts it into tomorrow's Fort Collins Regional final against second-seeded Stanford (29-3). The Cardinal swept 15th-seeded Florida, 25-14, 25-21, 25-21. Tomorrow's winner goes to the final four next week in Omaha, Neb.

Hawai'i's only lead in the opening set was at 2-1. The Boilermakers scored the next four points with Lisa Pierce serving and the 'Bows never got within two again.

Kristen Arthurs (4 kills) and Carrie Gurnell (3) were a combined 7-for-10 to provide all the offense Purdue would need as the 'Bows struggled to put balls down against its big block. Kanani Danielson and Jamie Houston each had five kills; the rest of the 'Bows had but three and hit zero — or worse.

To make it even worse, the Rainbows were out-dug, 12-9.

Hawai'i scored the first two points of the next set, but Pierce served seven straight this time and the 'Bows were chasing again, only this time they caught up. After falling into a 17-12 hole, Tara Hittle served six in a row to put UH ahead (18-17) and force the Boilermakers to burn both timeouts.

Danielson put the 'Bows on her shoulders during the surge, getting four of her five second-set kills. After Purdue stopped the surge, Amber Kaufman buried a ball and Jayme Lee subbed in to serve Hawai'i into a 22-18 lead.

That streak was stopped on an overule, negating Aneli Cubi-Otineru's fourth kill. She drilled it again three serves later and Houston's seventh and eighth kills closed it out.

The Boilermakers, who hit .345 in the first set, hit negative .03 in the second, with Pierce getting half the eight errors. The rally was also ignited by the 'Bows' defense, which out-dug Purdue13-8 and matched it with four stuffs.

From there, the teams started again. Purdue pulled ahead 18-12 behind middles Stephanie Lynch and Arthurs, then Hawai'i closed to 19-17 with Lee serving three in a row — and the Boilermakers hitting two out.

The 'Bows moved ahead 23-22 with Kaufman serving four straight. Purdue tied it on Lynch's eighth kill, but she put the next one in the net and, after a spectacular Cubi-Otineru save, Houston launched set point into the floor.

Hawai'i made its move early in the fourth set, taking a 9-6 advantage on Danielson's four-point service run. Purdue tied it at 14 when Lynch matched that, but Danielson led the Rainbows on yet another run, with help from Nickie Thomas and setter Dani Mafua in the front row.

Hawai'i pulled ahead 17-14 and weathered one last assault from Lynch — one of three Purdue seniors, all from Indiana. Danielson's 20th kill gave UH match point and she and Kaufman stuffed Gurnell to end it.