Catch-22
troubles No. 22
Playing UH in the first round
By Cindy Luis
is a paradox for Loyola Marymount
Star-BulletinLONG BEACH, Calif. -- The NCAA Tournament is supposed to be a reward after a long, grueling season; a light at the end of the tunnel, especially for a young team that proved itself down the stretch. As Steve Stratos sees it, the light in the tunnel is heading back at him at freight-train speed.
"We can talk about the bracketing until we all die," Stratos said regarding tomorrow's first-round match between his Loyola Marymount women's volleyball team and the University of Hawaii at The Pyramid. "But for the No. 15 and No. 22 teams in the country to be playing each other in the first round, then to be facing the No. 1 team in the county (Long Beach State) is ridiculous. There are many first-round matches where there are no Top 25 teams involved.
"It's very unfortunate. Dave (Hawaii coach Dave Shoji) has played a very tough schedule and we have as well. We've worked so hard, the teams have developed and then suddenly we're in this situation. Then whoever is fortunate to win gets No. 1 Long Beach."
Neither the No. 22 Lions (21-6) nor the No. 15 Wahine (25-7) are looking ahead to Saturday and the host 49ers (30-1). Neither can afford to.
The teams split in September at the Special Events Arena, with Hawaii winning in four the first night and LMU in five two nights later. The rubber match is a survival test -- the loser goes home.
"It's exciting to see Hawaii again since we left it undecided the last time," said LMU senior opposite Sarah Noriega, who leads the country in kill average (6.92 kills per game). "It is unfortunate about the seeding as far as having to play Long Beach the next night. It's not that Long Beach is unbeatable, but it's going to be really tough playing two tough matches in a row.
"For us to beat Hawaii again, we're going to have to do the same things we did the last time, like serving tough. We've been trying to improve on those little things the past couple of weeks. It's going to be a battle and we hope we see the (Hawaii) team that doesn't play as well off the island."
Both teams have matured in the two months since their last meeting. Hawaii's only losses have been on the road to No. 1 Long Beach, No. 3 Stanford and No. 6 Brigham Young.
The Lions, who have not played since Nov. 22, have lost to No. 17 Pepperdine twice and to No. 23 San Diego since leaving the islands. LMU finished third in the West Coast Conference, behind the Waves and the Toreros.
"Both teams were very young when we met in September," Stratos said. "Both teams are very, very much improved. I think those matches we had back then were good for both programs and both teams grew up a great deal during those matches.
"In a lot of ways, we're mirror-images of each other with a couple of key seniors and a lot of young people. We've played each other twice so it's not like it's a surprise. We know who their best players are and they know ours. It will come down to a matter of execution and who does the things they do well the best."
Stratos said the performance of seniors Noriega and Hawaii's Therese Crawford will be crucial. Noriega had 33 kills in the five-set win over the Wahine and 47 against San Diego State, an NCAA record for a four-game match.
Crawford lost her starting spot four matches ago, but has earned it back. She and senior blocker Cia Goods, second nationally in blocking, will need to have a big match for UH.
"This is the toughest first-round match in the country," Stratos said. "But the saddest thing of all is either Dave or I will see their seniors play their last match tomorrow."
The facts
Friday: No. 15 Hawaii (25-6) vs. No. 22 Loyola Marymount, 5:30 p.m. HST
1997 UH Wahine Volleyball Schedule
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
