Wahine open against
By Cindy Luis
improved Bulldogs
Star-BulletinLindy Vivas has never beaten the University of Hawaii in her seven seasons as the Fresno State women's volleyball coach. The Punahou School product doesn't think that will change tomorrow when the Bulldogs host the No. 16-ranked Wahine. "I think the gap between Hawaii and us is enough that our focus may be more on preparing for San Diego State (Saturday)," Vivas said in a telephone interview yesterday from Fresno.
"We'll do what we can against Hawaii but our best chance to move up in the standings may be with San Diego State."
With the top four teams in the Western Athletic Conference's Pacific Division in action against each other this weekend, the division race will either tighten up or the chasm will widen.
Hawaii (15-4, 7-0) leads the Pacific Division by a game over San Diego State (10-7, 6-1). Fresno State (15-7, 5-2) is a game behind the Aztecs with San Jose State (11-8, 4-3) another game behind.
The Bulldogs have gone 5-1 since facing the Wahine Sept. 27, the only loss coming last Saturday in a crossover match at Wyoming. Last month, Hawaii defeated Fresno State in straight sets for the 16th time in 18 matches.
"What I think we've learned since then is we need to hit better as a team, have all five hitters contributing," said Vivas. "The last time (against Hawaii), we didn't have any kind of middle attack. Diana Nalbandian is a very good player but she had a hard time when there was no middle attack to help her out.
"Plus, it's very hard to hit against Cecelia (Wahine senior blocker Goods). She's a force in the middle."
Goods, named the WAC Pacific Division Player of the Week for the second time this season, is leading the country in blocks. Against the Bulldogs last month, she had eight blocks in helping limit Nalbandian to 10 kills and negative hitting percentage.
Nalbandian is the leading hitter for the Bulldogs and leads the WAC in dig average (4.21 dpg).
The Wahine have won their last nine matches and have extended their regular-season conference (Big West and WAC) winning streak to 42. Hawaii opened the WAC season with a straight-set victory over San Jose State, its eighth consecutive victory over the Spartans.
DOUBLING UP: A day after being named the Pacific West Conference Player of the Week, Chaminade senior Danielle Robins was honored by the Hawaii Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Robins, a middle blocker, led the Silverswords to six straight road wins, including four against PacWest teams. She has 99 kills, 92 digs, 12 aces and eight blocks to help CU into a first-place tie for the conference lead with the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Wahine volleyball
Hawaii at Fresno State: Tomorrow, 4 p.m. HST
1997 UH Wahine Volleyball Schedule
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
