WAHINE VOLLEYBALL
Wahine block Wolf Pack
RENO, Nev. » This was the Nevada team Hawaii had expected to see this season. The Wolf Pack team that was supposed to challenge the Rainbow Wahine in the Western Athletic Conference title race.
WAC Tournament
At Reno, Nevada
Today's championship: Hawaii (24-6) vs. Utah State (21-11), 3 p.m.
Radio: Live, KKEA 1420-AM
TV: Live, OC 16 and CSTV (Oceanic Digital 247)
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That Nevada team finally showed up last night hoping to knock off top-seeded Hawaii. Getting to today's title match may have been the fourth-seeded Wolf Pack's only shot of getting an NCAA tournament bid.
Instead, the Wahine's big block shut down the Pack at the right time and shot down Nevada's upset hopes, 30-19, 22-30, 30-28, 33-31, at the Lawlor Events Center. It took 2 hours and 15 minutes for eighth-ranked Hawaii to win its 17th consecutive match -- 124th straight in conference play -- and gain the WAC tournament final for the eighth time.
Hawaii will see Utah State (21-11), a team that took the Wahine to five on Nov. 9. The second-seeded Aggies rallied past third seed New Mexico State, 24-30, 30-24, 27-30, 30-25, 15-13 in yesterday's first semifinal.
Today's winner earns the WAC's automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.
"We've got to keep momentum on our side and not make mistakes (against Utah State)," said Hawaii senior middle Victoria Prince, who had a team-high 18 kills, including the match-ender. "They're a great team, they'll make smart plays. We just have to make more smart plays than they do."
It was smart blocking at the end of Game 4 that allowed the Wahine to defeat the Wolf Pack for the 24th consecutive time, and the fourth straight in the WAC tournament. Hawaii led only twice in Game 4, at 2-1 and for the last two plays: when Prince and setter Kanoe Kamana'o blocked Carly Sorensen, followed by Prince's kill.
The Wahine played catch-up the entire time, coming back from a 17-11 deficit, using two of their 11 blocks to tie it at 27, then holding off three game points, the last at 31-30. Nevada freshman Allison Hernandez, in her first front-row appearance of the year, hit long to tie it at 31. Hawaii's experience in tight games took over.
"I thought our team stayed really patient," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "No one got down, no one panicked. We've got a bunch of veterans and we started to make plays down the stretch."
Nevada senior Salaia Salave'a finished with a match-high 20 kills, seven coming in Game 2. Sorensen finished with 16.
Wolf Pack coach Devin Scruggs thought it was one of the best matches she's been involved with as a coach in her nine seasons.
"I told our seniors they didn't want to have any regrets if this was going to be their last match," she said. "I don't think they do."
The four coaches involved in yesterday's semifinals all hope that the WAC will get at least three teams into the NCAA tournament.
"I think three should go and I hope four will," Shoji said. "But you just never know."
Utah State 3, New Mexico State 2
As expected, the first semifinal went long (2 hours, 25 minutes) and wasn't decided until Erin Graybill stuffed Tanya Allen for Utah State's 19th block.
USU rallied late in both Games 4 and 5 on the strength of its blocking and the arms of Zuzana Cernianska and Graybill, both of whom finished with 16 kills. NMSU led 8-6 in Game 5 only to have the momentum switch sides along with the teams.
Utah State's Carolyn Forbush served for six points as the Aggies took the lead at 13-9. NMSU held off three match points while pulling to 14-13 only to have Graybill's block end it, and perhaps the season for the losing Aggies (20-7).
Allen had 15 kills and 13 digs for NMSU which fell to 0-4 in five-game matches. Amber Simpson added 13 kills and eight block assists.
For Utah State, Forbush added 15 kills and 12 digs, while Beth Hodge was in on a career-high 11 blocks.
Hawaii def. Nevada
30-19, 22-30, 30-28, 33-31
Rainbow Wahine (24-6)
|
|
g |
k |
e |
att |
pct. |
bs |
ba |
d
|
Sanders |
4 |
8 |
2 |
22 |
.273 |
0 |
8 |
1
|
Boogaard |
4 |
8 |
2 |
20 |
.300 |
0 |
3 |
17
|
Hittle |
4 |
10 |
4 |
31 |
.194 |
0 |
1 |
8
|
Houston |
4 |
12 |
7 |
41 |
.122 |
0 |
3 |
5
|
Kamana'o |
4 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
-.250 |
0 |
2 |
7
|
Prince |
4 |
18 |
3 |
32 |
.469 |
0 |
3 |
2
|
Gregory |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Arnott |
4 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1.000 |
0 |
0 |
4
|
Watanabe |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
0 |
0 |
14
|
Mason |
3 |
7 |
0 |
13 |
.538 |
0 |
2 |
4
|
Totals |
4 |
64 |
19 |
164 |
.274 |
0 |
22 |
62 |
Wolf Pack (18-12)
|
|
g |
k |
e |
att |
pct. |
bs |
ba |
d
|
Ericson |
1 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
-.250 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Sipherd |
4 |
12 |
4 |
26 |
.308 |
1 |
6 |
0
|
Salave'a |
4 |
20 |
6 |
36 |
.389 |
0 |
2 |
8
|
Johnson |
4 |
5 |
2 |
14 |
.214 |
0 |
0 |
5
|
Ryan |
4 |
10 |
6 |
27 |
.148 |
0 |
3 |
2
|
Sorensen |
4 |
16 |
9 |
39 |
.179 |
0 |
3 |
2
|
Hernandez |
4 |
10 |
4 |
35 |
.171 |
0 |
2 |
12
|
Harms |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
.000 |
0 |
0 |
16
|
Holda |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
.000 |
0 |
0 |
10
|
Henry |
4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
-1.000 |
0 |
0 |
12
|
Totals |
4 |
74 |
35 |
188 |
.207 |
1 |
16 |
67 |
Key -- g: games; k: kills; e: hitting errors; att: attempts; pct.: hitting percentage; bs: block solos; ba: block assists; d: digs.
Aces -- Hawaii (4): Hittle 2, Houston, Kamana'o. Nevada (3): Harms, Johnson, Salave'a. Assists -- Hawaii (61): Kamana'o 59, Boogaard, Watanabe. Nevada (64): Johnson 59, Henry 2, Holda 2, Harms 1.
T -- 2:15. Officials -- Kent Kitade, Margie Ray. A -- 1,192