Nikki Hubbert, left, and Cia Goods go up for a block
against Rhode Island last night at the Special Events Arena.
By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin

Three weeks ago, the walk-on for the University of Hawaii women's volleyball team was told she probably would be red-shirted.

Last night, in the sixth match of the season, Lee made her first collegiate start. Talk about taking giant steps.

Confidence eventually beat out nerves as the Kamehameha Schools product put down 10 kills to help the top-ranked Wahine sweep Rhode Island in 84 minutes, 15-5, 15-4, 15-7, in the second match of the Aston's Imua Challenge. In yesterday's earlier match at the Special Events Arena, Cal State Sacramento wore down Santa Clara, 11-15, 15-11, 15-10, 15-2.

"I was very nervous," said Lee, who started due to shin problems that sidelined both senior defensive specialist Nalani Yamashita and sophomore hitter Kelli Cordray. "Even though the rest of the girls tried to make me feel comfortable, it was still a hard thing to do.

"I was shocked, very shocked when Dave (Hawaii coach Shoji) told me I was starting. That was right before the match. Knowing yesterday would have been good."

But not knowing meant Lee had to rely on her considerable game instinct and court sense, as did fellow freshmen Heidi Ilustre and Jennifer Roberts. By design (and by necessity after senior hitter Joselyn Robins went down with a sprained ankle early in Game 2), the crowd of 5,254 got a long look at the Wahine's future last night.

Shoji said he couldn't have been happier with his first-year players. Roberts, a 6-2 middle, had 5 kills and 0 errors in 7 swings; Ilustre came up with a match-high 11 digs; and Lee hit .333.

"It's nice to give the freshmen playing time when you can," said Shoji, whose team improved to 6-0 with its fifth consecutive straight-set win. "Their overall games are just superb, so strong. This freshman class fits right into the lineup with strong court awareness. Aven and Heidi are game-ready already, they can step on the court and play."

So can sophomore transfer Nikki Hubbert. The heir apparent to senior setter Robyn Ah Mow also had to shake off the jitters after being told between Games 2 and 3 that she would be running the team.

"I was really nervous my first few passes," said Hubbert, who transfered from Washington State after her freshman year. "Angelica (senior blocker Ljungquist) made things a lot easier with the things she was saying to me. It got more comfortable."

Hubbert made a spectacular flying dig in the backcourt that Lee eventually put down for a kill and an 11-6 lead in Game 3. Shoji said only Hubbert and Ah Mow would have been able to make that play.

Hubbert said her coach had other words before the match.

"He basically told us that if you don't go for the ball, you're not going to get another chance," Hubbert said. "I went for it."

Angelica Ljungquist
prepares to launch a
deadly jump serve.

Lauren Maselli had 13 kills for the Lady Rams, who hit .050 as a team. Rhode Island (1-2) was swept by Long Beach State, 15-1, 15-2, 15-7, last Saturday.

"Hawaii has got everything covered," Rhode Island coach Bob Schneck said. "They don't have too many flaws and weakness. No. 9 (Ljungquist) has that middle sewn up and they're a real solid team.

"I'm not satisfied, but I'm more satisfied than I was against Long Beach State. We're not ready to play the No. 1 team in the country, but we are thrilled with the opportunity to play in front of such supportive volleyball fans."

Schneck said his team has something to prove in tomorrow's 11 a.m. match with Cal State-Sacramento. The Hornets eliminated the Lady Rams in the semifinals of last year's NIVC, a postseason tournament for the best teams not invited to the NCAA tournament.

First, Rhode Island will take on Santa Clara in today's 5:30 p.m. match. Hawaii meets Cal State-Sacramento in the second match; the Wahine-Broncos match at 6 p.m. Sunday concludes the tournament.

Robins, diagnosed with a sprained left ankle, is not expected to play the rest of the weekend. She had started off last night going over the Rhode Island block with 7 kills and 0 errors in 11 attempts.

The Hornets (3-1) dug in against the Broncos ... and dug in ... and dug in. Sac State came up with 110 digs, and got 27 kills by Jill Haas, to wear down Santa Clara (1-2).

"That's our style of play, we aren't powerhouses in hitting," said Hornets coach Debby Colberg after the 2 hour and 8 minute match. "We're not big enough to stop a big team, such as Hawaii will be, at the net.

"We're in this tournament to get experience. We're no longer an independent so we no longer have to worry about every win and loss. Now that we're in a conference (Big Sky), we just have to worry about winning the conference title and we can use these earlier matches to develop and experiment."

Santa Clara is having to develop its setter with on-the-job training. Senior Thira Icaza won the job by default - one setter is injured, the other left the team - but did an admirable job running the Broncos' offense in only her third match.

"We're happy to have been invited here," said Santa Clara coach Annie Kniss Feller, a former Wahine graduate assistant (1987-88). "The team is very fired up to be here and this kind of experience is only going to make us better."

Jamey Scritchfield led the Broncos with 18 kills, Jaime Elson 14 and former Kamehameha standout Auli'i Ellis added 12. Santa Clara scrambled for 87 digs.

What: Aston's Imua Challenge
Where: UH Special Events Arena
Thursday: Santa Clara vs. CSU-Sacramento, 5:30 p.m.; Rhode Island vs. Hawaii, 7:30 p.m.
Friday: Santa Clara vs. Rhode Island, 5:30 p.m.; CSU-Sacramento vs. Hawaii, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: CSU-Sacramento vs. Rhode Island, 11 a.m.
Sunday: Santa Clara vs. Hawaii, 6 p.m.
Broadcasts: All Hawaii matches live on KFVE (Channel 5) and KCCN (1420-AM)
Tickets: Available at Special Events Arena