DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii's Maja Gustin watched the ball fall in as the Wahine won Game 1 on Monday against UCLA. UH opens the Aston Imua Challenge tomorrow.
Rainbow Wahine After finishing opening weekend with an immaculate record, the Hawaii volleyball team doesn't have much time to prepare for its next challenge.
can please Shoji
with consistency
UH takes on SDSU,
Washington and San Francisco
in Aston Imua ChallengeBy Grace Wen
gwen@starbulletin.comUnlike last year, the Rainbow Wahine won't need it.
Hawaii owns a combined record of 44-4 against the three teams it faces in the eighth annual Aston Imua Challenge. The Wahine play San Francisco tomorrow at 7 p.m. San Diego State and Washington meet in the earlier match at 5 p.m.
Hawaii's main problems will probably come from its side of the net as coach Dave Shoji tinkers with the lineup. Shoji shuffled players in and out of all three matches last weekend with regularity and expects to do the same thing this weekend.
"We're going to play a lot of people," Shoji said. "The short-term goal is to look for a lineup. The other thing is to start to get some consistency with our level of play.
"We want to keep it at the highest level possible. We need to keep challenging ourselves regardless of the opponents because if it takes a great opponent to play well, then how do we get better? We need to keep challenging ourselves."
It will be difficult to find much of a challenge with the toughest matches for the next two months already behind them. Hawaii doesn't face another ranked opponent until its Nov. 10 showdown against Stanford.
There is no marquee matchup this week either, but one of interest could be Friday when Hawaii faces San Diego State.
Look beyond the series record (Hawaii leads 35-3) and recall that the Wahine lost twice in the same year to the Aztecs in 1980 and once in 1985. And San Diego State extended Hawaii beyond three games in their last two meetings.
The Aztecs could do the same this year. They return five starters and other prominent role players from a 2001 squad that made their first NCAA tournament appearance since the 1996 season.
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii's Melissa Villaroman, Jennifer Carey, Lauren Duggins and Hedder Ilustre celebrated after sweeping Ohio State on Friday.
"They've been a good program through the years," Shoji said. "Back in the 1980s they were one of the premier teams in the country."
Washington should be much improved under second-year coach Jim McLaughlin. Last year, McLaughlin was hired a week before the start of fall camp and still guided the Huskies to 11 victories, the most wins Washington had in a single season since 1997.
"Anytime you play a Pac-10 school, you'll be challenged," Shoji said. "It probably is the toughest conference in the nation."
And even without a ranked opponent to play, the Wahine have things they want to get done. Hawaii was pleased with its start, but last weekend wasn't flawless.
"We did a good job as a starting point. It wasn't our best effort, but it was a good place to start," senior Margaret Vakasausau said. "We have two quick days of practice. Hopefully we can hone our skills, (like) the way our defense arranges itself around the block.
"We get to practice this weekend on three teams that have different color jerseys. We can perfect our skills on these three teams this weekend."
Note: Junior Maja Gustin will not practice this week and is doubtful to play.
Gustin is suffering from plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the foot that is a result of excessive jumping and landing in an impact activity.
Shoji said that junior Lauren Duggins and transfer Karin Lundqvist will get the starting nods at middle. He is undecided for the right side position, where junior Nohea Tano started but freshman Susie Boogaard also saw significant playing time.
UH Athletics
