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Monday, October 23, 2000
The University of Hawaii womens volleyball team came home yesterday to make a quick recovery from jet lag and injury before heading back to Texas this weekend for its third and fourth road matches in a row. Quick win, turnaround
for WahineBy Pat Bigold
Star-BulletinThe Wahine, ranked No. 2 in the AVCA/USA Today poll and No. 1 in the Volleyball Magazine poll, swept UTEP Friday and Rice Saturday. They improved to 18-0 overall and 8-0 in the Western Athletic Conference.
This Friday, they will play at Texas Christian University and on Saturday at Southern Methodist University.
Starting setter Jennifer Carey was injured in a collision with Lily Kahumoku in the second game at Rice as the two went for a loose ball. Carey left with a bloody nose as backup setter Margaret Vakasausau finished the match.
"You always worry about concussion because she (Carey) hit her head on the floor and she was a bit woozy," said Shoji. "I think she could've gone back in game three but we just held her out."
He said barring any unforeseen medical problems, Carey should be ready to start at TCU.
Shoji said he was happy with Vakasausaus performance.
"There's no question we can win with Margaret in there," he said. "She sets a much different tempo with her serve and the players had to make an adjustment. But our players know her very well. Her sets are lower than Jenn's."
Hawaii fans looking for a boost after a double humiliation at Rice Stadium, where they watched their football team lose, 38-13, climbed into the stands in Autry Court Saturday evening to cheer the Wahine against Rice.
Fueling the emotions of the Wahine and their fans at the volleyball match was a football halftime show staged by Rice that witnesses called derogatory toward Hawaii.
"I thought it was in poor taste," said Shoji.
He said his players told him they were "disgusted" with the show.
"It mentioned the Rainbow and maybe we should go back to it since were not doing well (in football) and they had mock hula dancers. It just didn't sit well with our players. For people from Hawaii, it was offensive."
Despite an injury to setter Jennifer Carey, the Wahine swept the Owls, 15-8, 15-12, 15-9.
"I'd say we had about 400 or 500 people from Hawaii who came over from the football game," said Shoji. "You have to give Rice a little credit.They had hitters who went up and challenged us,and were pretty successful sometimes."
Kahumoku led the Wahine with 16 kills.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
