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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Hawaii volleyball moves up to No. 7

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Jamie Houston

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The last time Hawai'i was ranked seventh in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 poll it was just a few injuries into the 2006 volleyball preseason.

Yesterday, the Rainbow Wahine (7-2) rose to their highest ranking in more than two years when they climbed from 10th to seventh. All it took was an upset of then-No. 9 Washington Saturday — their first win over a Top-10 team since the 2006 NCAA Regionals — and a couple of hiccups above.

Fourth-ranked Cal was swept by Minnesota and nearly lost to unranked Notre Dame over the weekend. Eighth-ranked Florida was swept by Colorado State. Cal tumbled to ninth, with Washington 10th and the Gators 11th this week.

There are six unbeaten teams left in the poll — No. 1 Penn State, No. 2 Nebraska, No. 14 Middle Tennessee, No. 16 Wichita State, No. 21 Pepperdine and No. 25 Michigan.

Hawai'i's huge five-set win over Washington also came with individual honors. Senior Jamie Houston, who had a season-high 27 kills against the Huskies, was named Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the sixth time in her career.

She averaged 4.64 kills and 0.81 blocks in three matches, earning Most Outstanding Player honors in the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational.

Along with Houston, freshman Kanani Herring and junior Amber Kaufman earned all-tournament honors.

Herring averaged a double-double over the weekend (3.73 kills, 3.63 digs and 0.82 blocks per set).

Kaufman got her first career double-double the hard way against Washington, setting a school record with 11 aces and adding 10 kills on .533 hitting.