Monday, November 19, 2001
[ WAHINE VOLLEYBALL ]
SAN JOSE >> With the Western Athletic Conference championship safely tucked under its belt, the Hawaii volleyball team can head into the NCAA tournament if not brimming with confidence, at least comfortable with where it stands. Wahine turn attention
to NCAAsBy Grace Wen
gwen@starbulletin.com
Since an uncharacteristic 3-4 start, the Wahine have won 23 consecutive matches. Though nearly all the wins have come against not-so-tough WAC opponents, the Wahine haven't faltered or played to the level of their competition.
This WAC tournament was unlike the previous two in 1997 and '98. It didn't offer quite the same level of competition that Hawaii will see in the NCAA tournament, but the Wahine treated it as an NCAA match.
"It's a good experience," Hawaii coach Dave Shoji said. "It's not as much pressure. ... We'll feel a lot more sense of urgency when the tournament comes around. We tried to play it like an NCAA game because it meant a lot to us."
The last WAC win of the season gave an indication of the strides the Wahine have made since being swept in their first two matches in August.
"We're almost there," setter Margaret Vakasausau said. "We're so close. Not ultimate peaking-ness, if that's a word, but it's so close at the right time. We've prepared so well over the last five or six months that we'll be contenders."
With improved defense and blocking, the Wahine have become surprising contenders. With the exception of Kim Willoughby and Maja Gustin, the smallish Wahine don't have the same physical talents as before. But what they lack in skill and size, they compensate with determination and a willingness to work.
"This team has really overachieved," Shoji said. "If you look at the talent, we're not as talented as we were back in '98, '99, even last year. Some people took it for granted that we would win the league and the tournament (but) the other teams are a lot closer to us than in years past. I can't say enough about this team. They really have gotten better. They've trained hard and stayed together as a team."
Part of the overachieving can be attributed to players who don't allow the level of play to sink in any match. And with the Wahine pushing each other in practice, Shoji hasn't had much trouble motivating his team.
"We all want to be out on the court," Willoughby said. "Since we all want to be out there ... we compete so hard against each other. We're just really good competitors and that separates us from a lot of teams."
After earning the automatic bid to the NCAA, farsighted Hawaii has suddenly become nearsighted.
"You have to go step by step," Gustin said before the tournament final. "You have to win the WAC and then you can go on. Then it's the Thanksgiving tournament and then every single game in NCAA so step by step."
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii