[ DIVISION II SPORTS ]
So many things have changed about volleyball in the Pacific West Conference this year. Seasiders, Sea Warriors
in another showdownBy Jerry Campany and Brandon Lee
jcampany@starbulletin.com
blee@starbulletin.comAnd yet, so many things have stayed the same.
The conference pared down from 16 teams to just six and followed the lead of volleyball everywhere by going to rally scoring. But still, at the end it's Hawaii Pacific and Brigham Young Hawaii battling for the top spot.
As it always is.
The perennial powers hook up again this weekend with the conference title -- and a berth to the regional tournament -- likely on the line when HPU visits Laie today and tomorrow.
The teams have four conference matches remaining, with HPU leading the race by a full two games. All the Sea Warriors would have to do to clinch the title would be to split with the Seasiders and force either BYUH or Montana State-Billings to win out while hoping HPU loses its final two.
An HPU sweep knocks BYUH out of the race.
But with his young team, that is a position BYUH coach Wilfred Navalta likes to be in.
"We are chasing them and can play looser," Navalta said. "A loss means hara-kiri, but at least we are in position."
The Seasiders got in position by sweeping HPU in St. Andrew's Priory earlier this year.
But Navalta doesn't expect to see the same HPU squad show up. The Sea Warriors were admittedly flat in that contest and hope to be able to look back on the blowout as the low point of the year.
Even though HPU is undefeated outside the conference and BYUH has lost only once, the two matches could mean more than past clashes between the conference's elite because they are on the outside of the regional rankings looking in.
BYUH passed HPU, but still is not in the vital top six.
BYUH is in the seventh spot, while HPU is tied for eighth. Only the top six teams make the regional tournament.
"Whether we (both) get in or not, we should," Navalta said. "Our records are similar."
Brigham Young-Hawaii
The Seasiders water polo team clinched its series with Chaminade on Tuesday, beating the Silverswords 10-7. BYUH is in its first season and has beaten Chaminade in three of the four times the two schools have hooked up. They play the final time this season Nov. 2.The cross country team had seven athletes named to the All-PacWest team last Saturday, led by Kyle Briggs, who finished second overall. Devin Barlow was the only other man to be so honored after a fifth-place finish. Amanda Mauldin, Alyson Zolinger, Namea Curtis and Ashley Miller were all-conference for the women. Both teams finished second to Hawaii Pacific but will get another shot at the Sea Warriors at the all-Hawaii championships tomorrow.
Hawaii-Hilo
Volleyball player Sarah Pilgreen earned All-Texas honors at the Texas Women's Invitational, leading the Vulcans to a split in the tournament. Sophomore setter Megan Denman was selected to the second team.Paul Moth was the cross country team's lone all-conference selection with a fourth-place finish in the championships last Saturday in Kaneohe. Teammate Alistar In fell five seconds short of all-conference honors, being edged out for tenth by Frank Drabosky of Chaminade. Nikki Rogers was the women's top finisher, coming in 23rd with a time of 28:56.
The golf team is participating in the Nelson Open hosted by Stanford University today through Sunday.
Chaminade
What a difference two weeks have made for the Silverswords volleyball team -- and not for the better. Two Fridays ago, Chaminade was sitting in second place in the PacWest with the opportunity the following night to snatch the conference lead outright. Five straight losses later, the Silverswords (3-7, 6-12) are second from the bottom in the standings with no shot at the PacWest title.Chaminade looks to at least get back on the winning track this weekend when it visits last-place Hawaii-Hilo (2-8, 11-13) in a PacWest matchup tomorrow and a nonconference affair Sunday.
Hawaii Pacific
The Sea Warriors, ranked No. 10 in the AVCA coaches poll, were tied for eighth in the latest Pacific Region poll released Wednesday. Brigham Young-Hawaii jumped into and ahead of HPU in the regional poll for the first time at No. 7. Only the top six teams per region qualify for the NCAA Division II tournament, but HPU still has an automatic "in" to the postseason if it clinches the PacWest regular-season championship.Next Tuesday night at 7 at the Stan Sheriff Center, the Sea Warriors visit the 11th-ranked Division I University of Hawaii Wahine in a nonconference match that will count toward both teams' records and statistics. HPU is 0-4 all-time against the Wahine, though the last matchup came 16 years ago when current Sea Warriors coach Tita Ahuna played at UH for Wahine coach Dave Shoji.
Top performers
Nina Christensen, Hawaii Pacific cross country: The sophomore from Frederiussund, Denmark, won her fourth individual title of the season at the Pacific West Conference Championships in Kaneohe last Saturday. Christensen's time of 21 minutes and 27 seconds made her the conference's individual champion, following the lead of teammate Lisa Blomme, who took the honor last year.Christian Madsen, Hawaii Pacific cross country: The junior from Birkerod, Denmark, won his fifth individual title of the year with a blazing time of 32:54 Saturday. Madsen finished the race a full 1:51 faster than second place runner Buck Stone of Chaminade.
Derek Anderson, Brigham Young-Hawaii water polo: The freshman from Simi Valley, Calif., did it to Chaminade again, scoring five goals in the Seasiders' 10-7 clincher over the Silverswords.
Karla Ribeiro, Brigham Young Hawaii volleyball: The senior middle blocker has been a big part of the Seasiders' recent surge, knocking down 16 kills and hitting .600 in a sweep over Western New Mexico. She added 10 kills and 23 digs in another win over Western New Mexico the next night.
Hawaii Pacific
BYU-Hawaii
Chaminade
U.H. Hilo