Monday, November 5, 2001
[ WAHINE VOLLEYBALL ]
A midseason measuring stick may not tell the Hawaii volleyball team much. UH, UCSB tangle tonight
By Grace Wen
gwen@starbulletin.comWhen Hawaii coach Dave Shoji originally scheduled UC Santa Barbara, he thought it would be a way to gauge the Wahine's progress. UH plays UCSB today at 7 p.m.
"We wanted to bring in a top team in the middle of the year to see where we stand so that's why I scheduled that game," Shoji said. "They couldn't play midweek so it's a Monday game. We're really looking forward to it.
"It concerns me that they've been struggling, losing but they're still a good ballclub. I'm not sure the reason why they haven't won."
As one of only four programs to have played in every NCAA tournament, the Gauchos are usually an annual contender. But No. 21 UCSB isn't having a year characteristic of its program.
Santa Barbara has 10 losses already, two more than last year's team that lost to Hawaii in the regional final.
The Gauchos, like the Wahine, have one of the toughest schedules this season. They've lost conference matches against top-ranked Long Beach State and Pacific.
"The tough schedule helped us play in the league, but I wish we could have gotten some wins on the road," UCSB coach Kathy Gregory said. "When I did the schedule, I didn't really realize the magnitude of rally scoring and how close it was."
And UCSB has endured early season changes in personnel, much like the Wahine shuffle. The Gauchos have changed setters (second-team AVCA All-American Brooke Rundle was replaced by junior Brooke Niles) and had to fill in spots while players were recovering from injuries.
When: Today, 7 p.m. UC Santa Barbara GAMEDAY
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
TV: KFVE, Ch. 5
Radio: Live, KCCN 1420-AM
Internet: www.uhathletics.hawaii.edu
Notes: UCSB is one of four teams (Stanford, Penn State and Pacific) to have reached the NCAA tournament every year. ... Hawaii holds a 28-7 advantage in the series. ... The Gauchos are an old Big West Conference foe.
"We were playing a lineup just to play," Gregory said. "The leadership wasn't there and the chemistry wasn't there. The difference from last year to this year is that we lost one starter and we weren't better at the beginning of the year ... so the confidence was down.
"We didn't look good. They (Wahine) did the same thing. They had to switch their lineup. They had the luxury of a little easier schedule to get their team together."
Shoji couldn't have known that both teams wouldn't be in the top 10 when he scheduled, but it looks as though tonight's match will be a better indicator than he could have anticipated.
The 12th-ranked Wahine clinched their sixth Western Athletic Conference title with weekend wins over Boise State and Nevada.
Based on the WAC point-scoring system, one point is awarded for a win against a division opponent and two points for wins outside the division.
Hawaii's 11-0 record has earned it 16 points with two WAC matches left to play. Second-place Nevada has 13 points but can't catch up since it can only earn two more points.
Hawaii (19-4, 11-0 WAC) Projected Starters
Ht. KPG Aces Digs S Margaret Vakasausau (Jr.) 5-8 .39 12 2.42 MB Nohea Tano (So.) 5-11 1.58 4 1.24 MB Lauren Duggins (So.) 6-0 1.84 18 2.83 OH Maja Gustin (So.) 6-3 3.77 22 0.98 OH Kim Willoughby (So.) 6-0 6.71 18 3.47 Opp Tanja Nikolic (Sr.) 6-0 2.48 18 2.09 L Hedder Ilustre (Jr.) 5-7 .05 5 1.91 UCSB (13-10, 11-3 Big west)
Ht. KPG Aces Digs S Brooke Niles (Jr.) 5-9 1.27 21 1.37 MB Niki Carroll (Sr.) 6-3 1.52 0 0.15 MB Danielle Bauer (Jr.) 5-11 4.51 26 3.05 OH Courtney Guerra (Jr.) 6-0 2.25 10 2.20 OH Erica Menzel (So.) 5-9 3.14 13 3.18 Opp Brie Lampe (Sr.) 6-0 2.80 6 0.75 L Kristin Nelson (Fr.) 5-9 0.31 12 2.63
UH Athletics
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