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Monday, September 11, 2000

By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin
Wahine Maja Gustin slams one of her six kills
last night against Northwestern.

Wahine wipe
out Wildcats

Versatile reserve Tanja Nikolic
again plays a key role as UH
tops Northwestern in the Imua final

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By Dave Reardon
Star-Bulletin

Tanja Nikolic isn't too excited about being the seventh player on her team in a sport which allows six on the court.

But her University of Hawaii volleyball teammates and coaches know the importance of the 6-foot junior from Croatia.

"She's so versatile," setter Jen Carey said. "I give her credit for being able to come in and play any position at any time."

Yesterday Nikolic played again for injured right-side hitter Kim Willoughby and contributed a match-high three aces, including the match-ender, as Hawaii dominated Northwestern, 15-7, 15-5, 15-0.

Sixth-ranked UH improved to 6-0 and captured the Aston Imua Wahine Challenge as 3,725 watched at the Stan Sheriff Center. Northwestern fell to 0-7.

The Wahine have won their past five matches by sweep. The "bolo" game was Hawaii's first since it swept Prairie View A&M in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season.

Initial medical reports said Willoughby could miss three to six weeks because of a sprain of her left ankle suffered in Hawaii's victory over Creighton on Friday.

UH coach Dave Shoji said he had no regrets of starting Willoughby on Friday, as she was cleared to play by team medical personnel. Willoughby had sprained her ankle slightly against UCLA on Monday, and also suffered a concussion during the Wahine's victory over the Bruins.

"This will set her back a little," Shoji said.

Willoughby thinks she can be back soon, but the Wahine probably won't have her when they host tough opponents in No. 13 UC-Santa Barbara (Friday) and No. 9 Pepperdine (Sept. 22 and 23).

But Shoji is confident that Nikolic can hold down the right side -- or wherever -- until Willoughby's return.

"Tanja's really valuable to this team if anybody has a bad match or an injury. She has a hard role. She has to take reps at all positions," Shoji said. "She had a great fall preseason, but on this team has to accept coming off the bench."

Most of Nikolic's experience is in the middle, but she said she's interested in learning any position that will help her get in the match -- almost any position.

"I'm working on setting ... just kidding," she said.

Things were a little more serious at the start of yesterday's match, as the Wildcats hung with the Wahine early in the first game.

Erika Lange was in on two blocks that helped Northwestern play Hawaii to a 6-6 tie.

But UH adjusted, and Lily Kahumoku went off. She ended up with a match-high 13 kills.

"Kahumoku's hitting the ball with a lot more velocity," Shoji said of the sophomore left-side hitter. "She's more fit (this year). She jumps higher, she's stronger and has better command of her game."

Northwestern stopped middle Maja Gustin early, but she still managed six kills and hit .545.

"We definitely wanted to make them a high outside hitting team," Northwestern coach Keylor Chan said. "We contained their middle for awhile, but then it got unleashed in the third game, and that's why it ended so fast.

"They're a great team with great players. I expect to see them in the final four."

Hawaii's block dominated the second and third games, and UH ended up dominating the net with 10 blocks helping limit NU to -.031 hitting.

Shoji saw room for improvement.

"We were not real sharp. We can do better defensively," he said. "But it was pretty good considering we haven't practiced much since (the Sept. 1 season-opening match against Texas) A&M.

"We haven't been challenged by a team with a big block yet," Shoji added. "If we can handle Santa Barbara, it will be interesting to see Pepperdine."

Digs: The All-Tournament team consisted of Kailey Reyes (Creighton), Halie Mazza (Oregon), Lange (Northwestern), Jessica Sudduth (Hawaii), Veronica Lima (Hawaii), Gustin (Hawaii) and Most Outstanding Player Kahumoku (Hawaii). ... Shoji said he will red-shirt freshman middle Melody Eckmier. "It will benefit her and the team in the future," he said.

Hawaii def. Northwestern,
15-7, 15-5, 15-0

Wildcats (0-7 overall, 0-3, AIWC)

	g	k	e	att	pct.	bs	ba	d
Meyer	3	1	3	6	-.333	0	2	5
Pavlik	3	10	8	27	.074	0	0	5
Burbach	3	7	6	19	.053	0	1	5
Kamp	3	1	1	6	.000	0	1	4
Armson	3	0	0	1	.000	0	0	4
Lange	3	6	6	17	.000	1	2	3
Ruhl	2	0	2	5	-.400	0	0	0
Ballog	3	4	6	17	-.118	0	2	0
Knavel	3	0	0	0	.000	0	0	2
Totals	3	29 32	98	-.031	1	8	28

Wahine (6-0 overall, 3-0 AIWC)

	g	k	e	att	pct.	bs	ba	d
Nikolic	3	4	2	13	.154	0	2	4
Carey	2	0	0	1	.000	0	0	3
Sudduth	3	4	1	16	.188	0	2	5
Kahumoku	3	13	4	24	.375	0	3	4
Lima	3	8	1	14	.500	1	5	6
Gustin	3	6	0	11	.545	0	4	3
Vakasausau	1	1	0	1	1.000	0	2	1
Cravens	1	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0
Gomez-Tukuafu	2	0	0	0	.000	0	0	3
Lee	2	0	0	0	.000	0	0	3
Duggins	1	0	2	3	-.667	0	0	1
Villaroman	1	0	0	0	.000	0	0	1
Totals	3	36	10	83	.313	1	18	34

Key--g: games; k: kills; e: hitting errors; att: attempts; pct.: hitting percentage; bs: block solos; ba: block assists; d: digs.
Aces--NU (2): Burbach, Armson. UH (6): Nikolic 3, Kahumoku, Vakasausau, Duggins.
Assists--NU (28): Meyer 23, Kamp 2, Ruhl, Ballog, Pavlik. UH (34): Carey 25, Vakasausau 7, Lee, Sudduth.

T-1:15. Officials: Ernest Ho, Denice Hanson.

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UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii