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Monday, October 2, 2000
The University of Hawaii women's volleyball team passed its first road-trip test with even greater ease than expected. Volleyball team’s
WAC trip a
clean sweepBy Pat Bigold
Star-BulletinThe No. 2 Wahine (2-0, 12-0) got a combined 35 kills from team attack leader Lily Kahumoku while sweeping matches at Fresno State (1-1, 7-5) and San Jose State (1-1, 10-5).
Hawaii has today off, and tomorrow begins preparing for home matches against Southern Methodist (0-2, 8-5) Thursday and Texas Christian (2-0, 10-7) Saturday.
The sweep at Fresno State was expected but the Spartans were projected to be the Wahine's top competition in the Western Athletic Conference.
"San Jose had to play a tough five games against Reno (Nevada) the night before we played them and their best player (middle blocker Joslynn Gallop) took something like 84 swings, so I just don't think she could do that two nights in a row," said Wahine head coach Dave Shoji. "We keyed on both their middles (Gallop and Liz Hudson), and then did a nice job on (Brianna) Blair, their better outside hitter.
"We got a lot of production out of everybody again and we hit very well on the second night (.336), and had something like 64 kills."
Shoji said his two key freshmen, right-sider Kim Willoughby and middle blocker Maja Gustin, showed poise on the trip.
"Gustin has had a lot of experience with road trips in her country and Willoughby has traveled quite a bit when she played club ball last summer so I don't think there was any big deal," he said.
How does Shoji keep the Wahine focused after a 15-5, 15-6, 15-6 road sweep of their top conference rival? By reminding them that they are fallible.
"A lot of teams lost to teams you wouldn't think they'd lose to," he said. "UC Santa Barbara lost to Utah State, Long Beach State lost to Cal Poly last week and Pacific. UCLA loses to Oregon State. So, there are a lot of teams capable of beating you, so you'd better not let your guard down."
But Shoji said that this team so far ranks right up there with the best he's coached since 1975.
"I think this is one of the more well-rounded teams we've ever had," he said.
"We have some young people out there but they're playing well above their age. Lily is playing as well as anybody in the country. She's mature, and her arm swing is just reliable and is going to be there every night."
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
