DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii's Kim Willoughby had 19 kills with 12 errors on 50 attempts last night as the Wahine beat UCLA in four games. Willoughby was named the Hawaiian Airlines Classic MVP.

Wahine bomb Bruins

UH beats UCLA in 4 to win
the Hawaiian Airlines Classic title

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By Grace Wen
gwen@starbulletin.com

It was the kind of volleyball expected of intense rivalries.

A Labor Day crowd of 7,387 at the Stan Sheriff Center was treated to multiple rallies with hard hitting and spectacular defense. The fourth-ranked Rainbow Wahine and seventh-ranked Bruins relied on their defensive strengths as they added another colorful chapter to their history yesterday in the final of the 15th annual Hawaiian Airlines Classic.

Hawaii defeated UCLA 30-28, 30-25, 28-30, 30-13 to capture its seventh Classic title. The Rainbow Wahine (3-0) thwarted the Bruins' attack in the back row with 78 digs that forced UCLA to take multiple swings in nearly every rally. UCLA (2-1) outblocked Hawaii 12-6 and stymied the attack of Kim Willoughby, who had 19 kills but hit .140.

Hawaii coach Dave Shoji was surprised by the power of UCLA's hitting.

"I knew they were going to attack us in certain ways," Shoji said. "I thought UCLA hit the ball a lot harder than they were capable of. They didn't show any signs like that the first two nights.

"Kim had a rough time. She banged her head during warm-ups. She was just never right in the match. I don't think physically she felt right in the match. They bothered Kim. They didn't seem to bother Lily (Kahumoku). Overall, we were just challenged in more than one area. That was good for us. We responded pretty well."

Offensively, when one All-American struggled, the Wahine had another one step up. Kahumoku hit an amazing .469 with 26 kills and three errors.

"I felt like I had gotten into a rhythm," Kahumoku said. "I've been working on my Logan Tom, no-looking-down-the-line shot. I haven't perfected it to her abilities, but that started to work. And when you're hitting well, you get into a rhythm. Things just happen."

Kahumoku could not be contained during a 14-point serving run by freshman Susie Boogaard in Game 4. The All-American had six swings and six kills as UCLA defenders scrambled to stop her. UCLA didn't cope well once the Wahine built a 24-6 lead.

"I was displeased with our collapse in the fourth. ," UCLA coach Andy Banachowski said. "We got tired. We got stuck. We got frustrated. All those things a young team doesn't handle well.

"We did get tired throughout the match. As the points mounted up, the pressure mounted up. That nervousness tires you out quicker than the physical exertion."

It was the only time the Bruins didn't come back.

The Bruins started slow in every game, but never went that quietly.

Hawaii didn't trail in Game 1 until a four-point lead evaporated when the Bruins' blocking got hot. Cira Wright and Brynn Murphy teamed for the first of two blocks during a 7-0 run that culminated in UCLA's first lead of the game at 27-24.

Hawaii fought back to even the score at 28 after two kills by Kahumoku and a solo block by Maja Gustin. The Wahine dug UCLA hitters three times in the same rally before Heather Cullen hit long. Kahumoku's tip ended the game.

Game 1 wasn't the only time the Wahine had trouble finishing. In Game 3, Hawaii led 26-23 but scored just two more points as UCLA used a run to extend the match.

"We just lost it. You just lose your concentration," Shoji said. "I don't know why. We come out of timeout and Lily is coughing. We should have stopped play or asked for more time. Then they tied the game and we get tentative."

Hawaii plays San Francisco on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the eighth annual Aston Imua Challenge.

All-tournament team >> Monique Gerlach, Colorado >> Stacey Gordon, Ohio St. >> Brynn Murphy, UCLA >> Lauren Fendrick, UCLA >> Lauren Duggins, Hawaii >> Lily Kahumoku, Hawaii >> Most Outstanding Player: Kim Willoughby, Hawaii

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Hawaii def. UCLA

30-28, 30-25, 28-30, 30-13

Bruins (2-1, 2-1)
	g	k	e	att	pct.	bs	ba	d
Wright	4	8	7	19	.053	1	7	7
Murphy	4	10	4	37	.162	1	5	2
McFarland	4	0	1	4	-.250	0	0	5
Fendrick	4	10	4	38	.158	0	2	9
Cullen	4	4	7	29	-.103	0	2	6
Eckmier	4	9	3	26	.231	1	2	3
Ringel	4	11	5	29	.207	0	0	4
Barba	4	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0
Ray	1	0	0	0	.000	0	0	2
Jorgensborg	4	0	0	0	.000	0	0	7
Zartman	4	0	0	0	.000	0	0	15
Totals	4	52	31	182	.115	3	18	60
WAHINE (3-0, 3-0)
	g	k	e	att	pct.	bs	ba	d
Vakasausau	4	1	1	5	.000	0	0	10
Willoughby	4	19	12	50	.140	0	2	10
Tano	4	1	0	2	.500	0	0	3
Kahumoku	4	26	3	49	.469	0	2	11
Gustin	4	9	2	18	.389	1	1	2
Duggins	4	5	2	14	.214	0	2	12
Boogaard	4	3	4	15	-.067	0	1	9
Carey	4	0	0	1	.000	0	0	1
Lundqvist	4	3	0	7	.429	0	2	0
Ilustre	4	0	0	0	.000	0	0	9
Eckmier	1	1	1	3	.000	1	0	0
Villaroman	4	0	0	0	.000	0	0	11
Totals	4	68	25	164	.262	1	10	78

Key--g: games; k: kills; e: hitting errors; att: attempts; pct.: hitting percentage; bs: block solos; ba: block assists; d: digs.
Aces -- Hawaii (4): Boogard 2, Willoughby , Kahumoku. UCLA (6): Fendrick 2, Wright, McFarland, Cullen, Ringel. Assists -- Hawaii (63): Vakasausau 49, Carey 7, Boogard 4, Kahumoku, Gustin, Villaroman. UCLA (48): McFarland 24, Jorgensborg 20, Cullen 3, Fendrick.
T -- 2:11. Officials -- Ernest Ho, Dan Hironaka. A--7,387.

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UH Athletics