Vulcans looking
to prove their mettle

Hawaii-Hilo must defeat Chaminade
to have a chance at a postseason
volleyball berth

By Cindy Luis
Star-Bulletin

One is playing for pride, the other for a shot at postseason play. Both want to walk away from Friday's match as the Pacific West Conference women's volleyball champion.

Chaminade, the defending PacWest champ, apparently has no chance at making the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Silverswords (16-8 overall, 9-2 PacWest) are not ranked in the regional ratings that determine at-large berths.

Hawaii-Hilo, which won the PacWest in 1995, is in a three-way tie for third in its region. The Vulcans (17-11, 10-1) have one shot -- a long one -- at the tournament: They have to beat the Silverswords Friday and then wait for a call from the selection committee.

"It remains to be seen if we'll be playing after this weekend," UHH coach Sharon Peterson said. "It's all up to the committee. A lot of it depends on how we do this week. These matches are very important."

The Vulcans and Silverswords meet in a conference match Friday and a nonconference match Saturday. Both are scheduled for 7 p.m. at McCabe Gym. UHH defeated Chaminade twice last week -- once in conference play, once in nonconference action -- and broke a tie for the PacWest's top spot.

No. 3 Regis and No. 11 Metro State are ahead of UHH in the regional ratings. The unranked Vulcans are tied with No. 13 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 17 Southern Colorado for third.

Unfortunately for the two Hawaii schools, strength of schedule is undermining their postseason hopes. UHH upset host Metro State in September and Chaminade won at No. 23 UC Riverside last month.

Despite winning the PacWest last season, the Silverswords were overlooked for a postseason berth. The conference has no automatic spot in the NCAA Division II tournament.

"Postseason will not be happening for us. . . again," Chaminade coach Glennie Adams said. "My feeling is if Hilo beat us Friday, they have a chance at going. Our conference doesn't get a lot of respect and it seems that the RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) controls things. Hilo and us end up beating each other up.

"If we win Friday, we'll be tied with Hilo and that will not do them any good. What we're playing for is sharing the conference title and that's what we're gearing up for."

The Vulcans lead the series with the Silverswords, 40-8.

Adams was an all-American at UHH in the early 1980s. She said it's still a strange feeling playing against her former coach.

"I used to be intimidated," said Adams, who is in her fourth season at Chaminade. "It's hard for me to think that we're on the same level, that we're peers. I still see her as my coach. That's going to be a forever thing."

WAHINE MOVE UP: The University of Hawaii moved up in both polls this week.

The Wahine (20-5) went from No. 15 to No. 14 in the USA Today/AVCA coaches poll and jumped two spots to 12th in the Volleyball magazine poll.

ON TOP: Players from Hawaii-Hilo and Chaminade dominate the PacWest statistics, leading four of six categories.

Chaminade's Danielle Robins, making a strong bid to repeat as conference player of the year, leads the league in aces average (0.60) and dig average (3.84). She is second in hitting percentage (.254).

Silverswords setter Karlen Por-ter is tops in assists (10.02 apg). Teammate Doris Bikar is second in kill average (3.89) and third in hitting percentage (.235) and dig average (3.80). Hawaii-Hilo freshman Meliah Hai-Kelly is the PacWest block leader (1.37). Teammate Heather Campbell is second (1.28).

SEASIDERS STAY PUT: Unbeaten Brigham Young-Hawaii (24-0) remained a unanimous first-place choice in the latest NAIA poll.

The Seasiders are idle until the NAIA Nationals, Dec. 3-6 at Olivet Nazarene in Illinois. The three-time defending NAIA champions earned their postseason berth with last week's victory over Hawaii Pacific in the Far West-Hawaii playoff.

HIAC HONORS TO ALVES: Ana Alves of BYUH was named player of the week in the Hawaii Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for Nov. 3-9. Alves' 14 kills and five digs led the Seasiders past Hawaii Pacific in the regional playoff.