Sports Update
The 91-minute victory, in a sold-out Special Events Arena, more than avenged the WAC tournament title loss to BYU 13 days ago in Las Vegas. It validated all the time spent in practice and in the weight room since the quest to make it to the final four began last Dec. 9, the day after Hawaii's perfect season ended with a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Michigan State.
"We didn't come in just ready to play," said Therese Crawford, named the Mountain Regional MVP following her 14-kill performance. "We came in wanting to win and expecting to win. Everything was up, our level of emotions, our level of intensity, our level of urgency of how bad we wanted this game. Everyone stepped it up."
"I can't put it into words," said senior blocker Angelica Ljungquist, one of five Wahine seniors playing their last home match. "It's been a long wait for this. There's been a lot of hard work, sweat and tears behind this. To finally put it together . . . I cannot tell you how happy I am. It's a dream come true.
"I've had this postcard of Cleveland right next to my bed for the last six months. It's the first thing I see in the morning, the last thing I see at night. And now we're going to be there."
The entire Wahine team was given postcards of Cleveland last May by well-known motivator Peter Burwash as a visualization aid. The players were to "see" themselves being in the city in mid-December.
"It's going to be the most beautiful city I've ever seen," said Hawaii coach Dave Shoji, seeking his fifth national title in a 22-year career at Manoa. "I've never been to Cleveland but I've wanted to go there for a year now in the worst way."
Hawaii (34-2) will get there after perhaps its best overall team effort of the season. No Wahine hit under .226, thanks to near-perfect passing that kept the match up-tempo against the bigger - but slower - BYU block.
"I think the difference in the match was their pass," said Cougars coach Elaine Michaelis, who was named the District 7 Coach of the Year yesterday. "The tempo was quicker and that was to Hawaii's advantage. The best blockers in the country aren't going to always get there in time with a quick offense.
"I don't know if any team in the country could have beat Hawaii tonight the way they were playing. They played at an extremely high level. Their whole game was a step higher (than at the WAC tournament). I like their chances in the final four representing the WAC."
Hawaii will face top-ranked Florida on Thursday. The Wahine opened the season with a victory over the Gators in the State Farm NACWAA Classic on Aug. 23 in Illinois.