[ DIVISION II ] The Hawaii Pacific University women's volleyball team is once again perched atop the NCAA Division II national rankings, yet coach Tita Ahuna is not entirely comfortable with it. Ahuna feels No. 1 HPU
has something to proveBy Brandon Lee
blee@starbulletin.comThe Sea Warriors (6-0) moved up one spot in the AVCA Coaches poll released Tuesday, to take the No. 1 position for the first time this season. Although defending national champion HPU was ranked No. 1 for all of last year, and has a 34-match win streak since the start of last season, Ahuna feels this year's team still has much to prove.
"At this stage, at this point of the season, it's just another poll," said Ahuna, whose Sea Warriors managed to capture last weekend's Hawaiian Style Classic tournament hosted by Hawaii-Hilo for the fourth consecutive year.
"We struggled a lot during the tournament. Although we were victorious, we struggled. But it's a long road (ahead); we haven't even touched the tip of the iceberg of where we want to be."
Ahuna is also wary that the Sea Warriors' No. 1 ranking, in addition to the win streak and last year's national crown, will only provide more motivation for every team that HPU faces.
"There is a lot of pressure that comes with (being No. 1)," Ahuna said.
Hawaii-Hilo (5-3) is the team that gets the next shot at the Sea Warriors, as the Vulcans visit HPU for the teams' Pacific West Conference openers tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at St. Andrew's Priory Gymnasium.
"Certainly it's our conference opener," Hawaii-Hilo coach Sharon Peterson said. "But if we do well against HPU, that would give us a lot of confidence."
In the final day of the Classic, HPU was able to get by the host Vulcans in straight games, but only after Hawaii-Hilo had endured three five-game matches in the previous days.
"It's totally different," said Ahuna, comparing the tournament to the start of the conference season. "Hilo is a scrappy, big team. We're kind of lucky we played them toward the end (of the Classic).
"It will be a true test when they've had some rest and can prepare. We'll take one game at a time, and hopefully our play will prove that we're No. 1."
Tuitele earns weekly honor
Last season's PacWest Player of the Year, Hawaii Pacific's Nia Tuitele, earned her first Player of the Week honors this season on Monday.The 5-foot 9-inch senior setter from Kalihi led the then No. 2-ranked Sea Warriors to their fourth consecutive Hawaiian Style Classic tournament championship last weekend, and was named tournament MVP for the second straight year. In the Classic's title match against Brigham Young-Hawaii, Tuitele had 45 assists, 16 digs, four kills and four blocks. Tuitele is 105 assists away from 4,000 for her career.
Chaminade wins
Chaminade (3-4) defeated UC Davis at Davis on Monday, and does not play again until its PacWest opener at home against Brigham Young-Hawaii on September 21. BYUH (4-1) opens conference play on the road next Tuesday at Montana State-Billings.
Cross country season starts
All four of the state's Division II schools open their cross country season at the Chaminade Invitational on Saturday. The race starts at 8 a.m. at Laie on the BYUH campus. The women's race is five kilometers, while the men's is eight.
Hawaii Pacific
BYU-Hawaii
Chaminade
U.H. Hilo