Wahine Playbook
Vs. San Jose State Spartans
and Fresno State Bulldogs
Tomorrow: No. 3 Hawaii (17-1, 6-0) at San Jose State (19-3, 5-1), 4:30 p.m. HST, The Event Center (5,000).
Saturday: Hawaii at Fresno State, 4 p.m. HST, North Gym (1,551).
Coaches-Hawaii: Dave Shoji (25th season, 698-136-1). San Jose St: Craig Choate (7th season, 149-156). Fresno St: Lindy Vivas (9th season, 172-110).
SJS series: Hawaii leads, 36-4, the most wins over a single opponent. Hawaii has won the last 12 meetings, including a 3-0 victory in San Jose last Nov. 27. The Spartans' last win over the Wahine was in a Big West match in San Jose in 1993...
FSU series: Hawaii leads, 22-0, 7-0 in WAC play. Hawaii won the last meeting, 3-0, at the Sheriff Center 25 days ago.
Top players-Hawaii: Heather Bown (6-3 Sr. MB) 4.07 kpg, .2.29 bpg; Jessica Sudduth (6-2 Jr. LS) 3.21kpg, .238, 19 aces, 2.53 dpg; Veronica Lima (6-2 So. MB) 2.06 kpg, .289, 2.60 dpg, 1.15 bpg, 20aces; Jennifer Carey (6-1 Fr. S)11.80 apg, 2.74 dpg, 1.09 bpg.Lily Kahumoku (6-2 Fr. LS) 3.35 kpg, .299, 1.98. SJS: Joslynn Gallop (6-1 Jr. MB) 5.33 kpg, .407, 32 aces, 2.45 dpg, 1.01 bpg; Brianna Blair (5-10 So. OH) 3.70 kpg, .220, 2.07 dpg; Michelle Sarkees (5-9 Sr. S) 12.45 apg, 2.20 dpg; Christina Lukens 2.54 kpg, 2.49 dpg. FSU: Anamie Buckelew (5-9 Sr. OH) 4.83 kpg, .218, 23 aces, 2.79 dpg; Shauna McQuaid (6-1 So. MB) 2.83 kpg, .321; Lindsay Closs (6-1 Fr. MB) 2.72 kpg, .228, 1.76 dpg, 1.07 bpg; Diann Aufdermaur (5-9 Sr. S) 11.22 apg, 3.02 dpg.
About the Wahine: In front of the first sellout crowd of the season, Hawaii saw its perfect record stopped at 17 on Sunday by Stanford, 15-9, 15-12, 15-10. The loss also ended the Wahine's home winning streak at 32... Stanford became the first school to win twice at the Sheriff Center since the arena opened in mid-1994, and only the second to win in straight sets. The Wahine are are now 98-9 ... Hawaii had two starters out of the lineup - Lima (stomach flu) and Kahumoku (back). Kahumoku had an MRI Monday to discover the source of the pains shooting down her legs. It is a disc problem that will require rest, but both she and Lima are expected back tomorrow against the Spartans ... The Wahine continue to lead the country in blocks per game (3.97) with Bown No. 1 nationally in block average. As a team, Hawaii leads the WAC in blocks, hitting percentage (.287), kills (15.72 kpg), and blocks... Coach Shoji is two wins away from becoming the sixth coach in women's collegiate volleyball history to reach the 700-win plateau ... Hawaii topped the 100,000 mark in attendance for the fifth consecutive year last Friday against UTEP.Through 15 home matches, the Wahine are averaging 7,363 fans, nearly 4,000 more than the next closest team (Nebraska). So far this year, Hawaii has drawn 110,441to the Sheriff Center... The Wahine are 49-1 in regular-season WAC matches since joining the conference in 1996.
About the Spartans: SJS saw its school record win streak snapped at 14 when the Spartans lost, 3-0, to visiting California on Oct. 19. After a school-best start of 18-1, the Spartans have now lost two of their last three, including their first WAC match of the season at SMU, 15-8, 6-15, 8-15, 15-5, 13 last Saturday ... The Spartans lead the WAC in aces ... Gallop, the WAC Freshman of the Year, was named WAC Player of the Week three times in the first six weeks of the season.
About the Bulldogs: FSU is in the midst of a five-match winning streak, its longest streak of the season. The Bulldogs have also won nine of their last 13 matches with all four of their losses coming to teams that were ranked or received votes in the top 25 poll, including Hawaii, Stanford, San Diego and San Jose State. On Monday, FSU swept host UTEP, 15-12, 15-7, 15-6. The Bulldogs have the past two WAC Players of the Week in Aufdermaur and Buckelew ... Coach Vivas is a Punahou School graduate.
End quote: "We'll see how we respond to our first loss,'' said Shoji. "We have to continue to be sharp. These are two tough places to play and, if we don't take care of business, we could get into trouble.''
On the air: San Jose State match live on KCCN (1420-AM). Live updates of Fresno State match during Saturday's football broadcast.
By Cindy Luis
