UH VOLLEYBALL PLAYBOOK
Hawaiian Airlines
Wahine Classic
First serve: Tomorrow, Stan Sheriff Center
Matches: Iowa vs. UCLA, 5 p.m.; Hawaii vs. Texas A&M, 7 p.m.
Coaches: Hawaii, Dave Shoji, 26th season (710-137, .838); Texas A&M, Laurie Corbelli, 15th season (269-166, .617); UCLA, Andy Banachowski, 34th season (874-205, .810); Iowa, Rita Buck-Crockett, 3rd season (13-43, .302)
Season records: Hawaii (0-0 WAC, 0-0 overall); Texas A&M (0-0 Big 12, 0-0 overall); UCLA, 0-0 Pac 10, 1-1 overall); Iowa (0-0 Big 10, 0-0 overall).
Series record: Hawaii leads series vs. Texas A&M, 5-1; vs. Iowa, 1-0; and vs. UCLA, 29-26.
Top players: Hawaii, Jennifer Carey, 6-1, S, So.; Kim Willoughby, 6-0, RS, Fr.; Jessica Sudduth, 6-2, LS, Sr.; Lily Kahumoku, 6-2, LS, So.; Veronica Lima, 6-2, MH, Jr.; Maja Gustin, 6-2, MH, Fr. Texas A&M, Michelle Cole, 6-0, OH, Jr; Jenna Moscovic, 5-11, S, Jr; Erin Gibson, 5-11, OH, Jr. UCLA, Kristee porter, 6-0, OH, Jr.; Elisabeth Bachman, 6-4, MB, Sr.; Erika Selso, 5-6, S, Jr. Iowa, Sarah Meyermann, 6-0, OH, Jr; Katie panhorst, 6-0, MB, Sr; Larissa Lopes, 5-8, S, Jr.
Interesting facts: It was only eight months ago that Texas A&M upset the Wahine in the NCAA Mountain Regionals at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Aggies return two starters while Hawaii returns four starters...Hawaii (1989, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1999) and UCLA (1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997) have won five Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic titles apiece. Both teams are 26-10 and have been in the last 12 tournaments...UCLA is ranked No. 1 in both the AVCA/USA Today Coaches' Preseason Top 25 and the Volleyball Magazine Preseason Top 20 polls. Hawaii is ranked No. 5 in both. Texas A&M is No. 19 in the AVCA/USA Today poll...The Wahine are 23-3 in season openers...The Bruins have a backbreaking schedule ahead. Between the season opener and Oct. 1, they will have traveled 14,900 miles. Their schedule calls for the Bruins to play eight of the next 12 teams behind them in the AVCA/USA Today poll...
Game keys: Wahine newcomers Gustin and Willoughby must make strong debuts and Hawaii must come up with enough overall firepower to offset the loss of Olympian Heather Bown...The Aggies must deal with the distraction of a deafening partisan crowd looking for revenge...The Bruins must put aside a heartbreaking 3-2 marathon loss to nationally ranked Colorado State (No. 13 in AVCA.USA Today, No. 14 in Volleyball Magazine) on Saturday at the State Farm Classic in Gainesville, Fla., and focus on upset-minded Hawkeyes.(UCLA beat defending national champion Penn State on Friday). The Bruins hope that redshirt freshman Ella Harley can become a solid replacement for starting middle blocker Angela Eckmier, who suffered a complete tear of her anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee on Aug. 14...Iowa's experienced players (four returning starters) have to come through in the clutch.
On the air: Broadcast live on KCCN (1420 AM) and KFVE (Channel 5).
RealAudio: Live 'Net broadcast Click Here
End quotes: "All of USA volleyball is aware of this match. I scheduled it two years ago, obviously not knowing what was going to happen in the NCAA tournament in 1999. So, it's kind of ironic that we're back here to start the season in 2000." -- Laurie Corbelli, Texas A&M head coach..."We just couldn't get kills against them last year, and obviously we're thinking about that." -- Dave Shoji, Hawaii head coach..."My determination to beat them is still the same." -- Veronica Lima, Hawaii junior MH "We had to square with Penn State after they knocked us out of the NCAA tournament last year. We won a close one and lost a close one last weekend. Hawaii is as strong as ever, so we'll have some good competition here. We know teams are fired up to knock off a No. 1 team, but our players are proud to be recognized for what they've been doing the past year and a half." -- Andy Banachowski, UCLA head coach.
By Pat Bigold, Star-Bulletin
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
