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SMALL COLLEGE NOTEBOOK

HPU takes
on Team USA

The new school year started on Tuesday for Hawaii Pacific University. The year also started for the Sea Warriors softball team, which had two days of practice to prepare for a very good opponent.

Though the Sea Warriors don't begin fall camp until October and their season until February, they were to play an exhibition against the U.S. Olympic team at 2 p.m. today at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Sea Warriors' coach Howard Okita and his players have never started this early in the season but, when approached by Team USA hitting coach Ralph Weekly for the opportunity to match his team against the very best in the world, Okita gratefully accepted.

"This is a big honor for us and the girls are really excited," Okita said. "Not everybody has this type of opportunity, especially as a Division II team, so hopefully we can at least look a little good out there against the highest caliber of competition."

The exhibition against the Sea Warriors was the last of six games played in Hawaii before the Olympic team leaves for Sydney, Australia.

Team USA, the defending gold medalist from the 1996 Olympics, had a 109-game winning streak on the line entering its game with the Sea Warriors.

Okita, who has attended several of Weekly's hitting clinics in the past, said: "He told me that we have a chance of beating his team as long as we keep the ball low. I told him, 'yeah, right.' "

"You can't really prepare for a game like this in a couple of days and my girls are out of shape," Okita added. "But the way I look at it, it will be a pleasure to see and compete against the best in the world.

"Hopefully my girls can pick up something from them. Some of those ladies are in their 30's, but they play with the enthusiasm of an 18-year-old."

Okita hoped his team would provide a good tune-up for Team USA.

He planned to start junior pitching sensation Jennifer Woodard, one of the dominant pitchers in the Pacific West Conference. Okita also figured to get a good look at some of his new freshmen.

"We have good athletes on our team and we hope to show them that we can play some ball," said Okita.

Still the 1

Undefeated HPU remained No. 1 in the AVCA Division II women's volleyball poll. The Sea Warriors (7-0) received all 25 first-place votes.

HPU swept defending national champions Brigham Young-Hawaii (4-3) in the title match of the Hawaiian Style Classic Tournament hosted by Hawaii-Hilo last weekend. The Sea Warriors were extended to four games only once during the tournament, a 3-1 victory over Northwood on Day 1.

Named to the all-tournament team from HPU were setter Nia Tuitele (MVP), Roberta Robert and Susy Garbelotti. Also selected were Romana Moravkova and Dena Zizkova of Northwood (Mich.), and Karla Riberio of BYUH.

For the second time in the first two weeks of the season, a player with local ties has been honored as the PacWest Player of the Week. Garbelotti was cited for her play at the Hawaiian Style Classic. The 6-foot-1 junior from Brazil tallied 91 kills, 25 blocks, 10 aces and hit .419 in helping the Sea Warriors to a 6-0 mark.

Last week, Vanessa Tsukano, a former Kaiser High standout and current senior at Alaska-Anchorage, received the award.

Cross country opens Saturday

All four of Hawaii's Division II schools -- BYUH, Chaminade, HPU and BYUH--will open the season Saturday at the BYUH Invitational at Laie. The women's 5K begins at 7 a.m., followed by the men's 8K race.

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By Brandon Lee Special to the Star-Bulletin