Hawaii won’t take
struggling Pepperdine
lightly

The Waves’ play has been choppy
this season, but the Rainbow Wahine
know the talent is there

Nina Matthies remembers the first time she met Dave Shoji.

It was 1969 and Matthies was a 16-year-old high school sophomore competing in her first USVBA Nationals. The tournament was being held in conjunction with the men's collegiate championship in Knoxville, Tenn.

UH Volleyball What: Pepperdine (2-5) at No. 6 Hawaii (8-0) When: 7 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday; Alumnae match, 5 p.m. Saturday Where: Stan Sheriff Center Radio: Live, KKEA (1420-AM) TV: Live, KFVE (Ch. 5) Tickets: $3-$16.

Shoji was competing for UCSB in what would be the last men's championship prior to it becoming an NCAA-sanctioned sport.

"Our teams roomed on the same floor," said Matthies, now in her 22nd year as Pepperdine coach. "The Gaucho guys were a crazy group and I have fond memories of them. We had a lot of fun.

"That's when I first met Shoji. To this day, we are friends."

The on-court rivalry between Matthies and Shoji has been amicable, albeit one-sided. Hawaii holds a 20-3 edge against Pepperdine going into this week's two matches at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The Rainbow Wahine and Waves have seen their respective seasons go in opposite directions. Hawaii, continuing its climb in the poll to No. 6, is still undefeated at 8-0, while Pepperdine, expected to win its conference, fell out of the poll this week after losing twice to unranked teams (Colorado State and Ohio).

It is the first time since 1998 -- a span of 81 consecutive weeks -- that the Waves are not in the poll.

"Pepperdine is struggling and I don't know why," Shoji said. "Before the season, everyone thought they'd be good. I hope they don't get well this weekend."

The Wahine won't be overlooking the Waves, despite Pepperdine's 2-5 record. The last time Hawaii did that was the last time the Wahine lost to an unranked team ... a stretch of 180 matches dating back to Sept. 12, 1997.

"They're a very good team and we won't take them lightly," said Hawaii freshman middle Juliana Sanders. "No one knows why they're struggling, but we know they will be a challenge.

"For us, we're still jelling. We're a good team, but we have so much stuff we have to work on. I'm surprised we're undefeated only because we're so young."

Sanders was sidelined for four matches after spraining her ankle in the season opener. She had a breakout game Saturday when subbing in late against UC Irvine, putting down 10 kills in two games, including seven in Game 4.

"Juliana gave us a big lift," Shoji said. "What I liked about last weekend was we showed we're so balanced. We don't have just one person carrying the load.

"We're getting the job done and it's a combination of a lot of things. We're getting clutch performances at the end of matches from a number of people."

Saturday will be Shoji's 1,000th match as the Wahine coach. It will be preceded by the annual alumnae match at 5 p.m.

"It's always fun to watch the alums," he said. "Some of them are still very competitive."

It's how Shoji also described his counterpart for the next two matches.

"Nina was a feisty player and it's carried over to her coaching," Shoji said of the former UCLA and pro beach star. "She coaches the way she played. She's a fighter and a great competitor."

Last season, the Waves won a school-record 25 in a row before ending their season against eventual final-four participant Minnesota. Pepperdine finished ranked No. 6 for the second straight year, the program's highest ranking.

The Waves started out No. 9 this year. After opening 2-0 (including an exhibition win over British Columbia), Pepperdine fell to defending national champion USC and then lost four of its next five, all on the road.

This is the third of five consecutive weeks that the Waves are away from home. Pepperdine opens its West Coast Conference schedule at San Francisco and St. Mary's next week, with a match at Loyola Marymount the following week.

Pepperdine has Hawaii high school graduates on its roster in sophomore libero Kekai Crabbe (Kamehameha 2003) and middle Lecca Roberts (Seabury Hall 2004). Both have played in all seven matches, with Crabbe averaging 2.08 digs per game and Roberts 2.58 kills per game.

Contributing to the Waves' woes has been a rash of injuries. Junior hitter Breegan Mulligan (summer shoulder surgery) played for the first time this season last week.

Pepperdine is hitting just .148 as a team, led by junior hitter Katy Daley (3.89 kpg, .192). Sophia Milo, a 6-4 sophomore middle, is averaging 3.18 kills and 1.18 blocks per game.

Note: Among those expected to play in Saturday's alumnae match are Lauren Duggins, Jen Carey, Melissa Villaroman, Lily Kahumoku, Karin Lundqvist, and Aven Lee. Also, Chastity Nobriga, Diana McInerny McKibbin, Karrie Trieschman Poppinga, Toni Nishida Chock, Nahaku Brown, Mary Robins Hardy and Marilyn Moniz-Kaho'ohanohano.