Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Wednesday, November 29, 2000
For the Hawaii Pacific University women's volleyball team, it's now 25 wins down and three more to go for a couple of milestones. For HPU,
it’s 25 wins
down, 3 to goBy Brandon Lee
Special to the Star-BulletinThe No. 1 and undefeated Sea Warriors are in Sioux Falls, S.D., on the campus of Augustana College for the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Tournament, the winner of which will be crowned national champion.
If HPU is successful in winning three games at the tournament, it will be crowned as national champion for the second time in the past three years.
Perhaps more important, historically, the Sea Warriors would also become the first team to go undefeated through its season in Division II history.
First things first, however. All season HPU coach Tita Ahuna has stressed one game at a time. The Sea Warriors face No. 11 Grand Valley State (31-3) of Michigan tomorrow in the quarterfinals, and need a victory in the single-elimination format to continue to Friday's semifinals.
The national championship game is set for Saturday.
The Sea Warriors have never met the Lakers before, but they've had a common opponent this year in Northwood (Mich.). Grand Valley beat Northwood three times this season, including a convincing three-game sweep in the Great Lakes Regional Final.
Northwood gave HPU two of its tougher matches on the season, extending the Sea Warriors twice to four games in their first two matches of the year.
"We don't know anything about Grand Valley in particular," Ahuna said. "But after how they handled Northwood, we are not overlooking them."
As the favorite to win the national title, Ahuna will rely heavily upon her three first-team All-Americans: setter Nia Tuitele, outside hitter Debbie Sant'Anna and middle blocker Susy Garbelotti.
Still, the Sea Warriors are loaded with talented players. They lead the nation with a .328 team attack percentage.
"We don't focus on anyone but ourselves," Ahuna said. "That's really what we've done all year."
With a win tomorrow, HPU will face the winner of tomorrow's California (Pa.)-Pace (N.Y.) match in the semifinals.
http://www.hpu.edu