StarBulletin.com

Shoji set to name starters today for season opener


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POSTED: Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Dave Shoji has turned in countless lineup cards in the previous 34 seasons as Hawaii volleyball coach.

This morning, he will tell the Rainbow Wahine players who will be on the card he turns in for Friday's season opener against Western Michigan.

Four positions had been pretty much set through the past 2 1/2 weeks of practice, with four returning starters for No. 7 Hawaii: Junior Dani Mafua at setter, senior Amber Kaufman at middle, senior Aneli Cubi-Otineru and sophomore Kanani Danielson on the outside. The contested spots have been for libero, the second middle and third hitter.

Yesterday, Shoji said he wasn't ready to announce the rest of the lineup but he was “;leaning”; toward junior Elizabeth Ka'aihue at libero, sophomore Stephanie Ferrell at hitter and redshirt freshman Brittany Hewitt in the middle.

Only one Wahine remains sidelined with an injury: redshirt freshman libero Emily Maeda (lower-leg stress fracture), who expects to have her walking boot removed in 10 days. Senior middle-rightside hitter Cat Fowler has returned after sitting out nearly a week with an abdominal strain.

The Chevron Invitational opens Friday with the 5 p.m. match between No. 9 UCLA and No. 25 Santa Clara.

Shoji on the air

The first Dave Shoji Show of the season is today at 6 p.m.

The one-hour radio call-in broadcast is from the Outrigger Reef Hotel, live on ESPN 1420-AM.

 

FRIDAY'S MATCH

» Western Michigan (0-0) at No. 7 Hawaii (0-0), 7 p.m. Friday, KFVE, Ch. 5, KKEA, 1420 AM.