Sunday, November 25, 2001
[ WAHINE VOLLEYBALL ]
In spite of a 41-kill performance from outside hitter Kim Willoughby, the Hawaii volleyball team couldn't come away with another tournament win. Wahine’s streak snapped
Star-Bulletin Staff
In a see-saw battle fraught with emotion, Hawaii fell behind early and couldn't quite close at the end. Before a crowd of 2,196 at the Spanos Center, Hawaii lost to No. 14 Pacific 30-28, 19-30, 30-21, 20-30, 15-12.
It was the first loss ninth-ranked Hawaii (27-5) suffered since a sweep by USC on Sept. 7, snapping the Wahine's 24-match win streak. It was Hawaii's first appearance at the Bankers Classic since 1987.
"It was very emotional for both teams," Hawaii coach Dave Shoji said. "They just executed better down the stretch. We had a couple of breakdowns at the end. It's been a tough two weeks for us, but that's not an excuse."
Maja Gustin had 15 kills, while middle blocker Nohea Tano turned in her first double-double performance with 10 kills and 12 digs.
The Wahine and Tigers battled to a 25-25 tie in Game 1. The two teams traded point for point before Pacific scored the final two, including a block of Maja Gustin at game point.
The Wahine dominated Game 2, with Willoughby firing off another round of shots. The sophomore had 23 kills and a yellow-card warning at the end of the game as Hawaii knotted the match at one game a piece.
Pacific had a 28-21 lead in Game 3 when a red card was issued to the UH bench that gave the Tigers game point. Pacific won the game a play later.
The Wahine rebounded in Game 4 and won easily, outhitting the Tigers .302 to .186. But the Wahine were unable to close out Game 5 down the stretch. Hawaii trailed 12-9 before a Pacific error and kills by Nohea Tano and Gustin evened the score. But Pacific closed out the match with a 3-0 run.
"We had different parts ... when we were great and sometimes when we were just flat," Willoughby said. "Playing against a team like that, we just can't afford those things."
The Wahine return early this evening and will find out their fate in the NCAA tournament tomorrow. The selection show is at 10 a.m. on Fox Sports West (Ch. 42 Oceanic). A memo released by the NCAA on Nov. 6 hinted that the Wahine may not host the first and second rounds of the playoffs given the "instability of the world" since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The last time Hawaii did not host either a first- or second-round match was in 1997, when it lost in the first round to Loyola Marymount at Long Beach.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
