Setters try to go Some teammates were meant to be enemies. Jennifer Carey and Margaret Vakasausau couldn't help being friends.
out champions
Wahine sweep Broncos out of the way
By Grace Wen
gwen@starbulletin.comSince entering the Hawaii program four years ago as freshmen, they have been nearly inseparable on and off the court. They dress alike, though not on purpose, and they have a mental telepathy with each other that neither can explain.
They won't need their telepathic powers today, as both will be on the court for Senior Night. No. 1 Hawaii plays No. 4 Stanford today at 6 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center. Carey, Vakasausau and Hedder Ilustre will be honored after the match.
Vakasausau and Carey's relationship, like this season, has been anything but average. They have shared the setting position this year after competing for the spot the past three years. UH has thrived and is the only unbeaten team left in the country.
Both say they want to register the ultimate assist in leading the Wahine to a national title. If they do, they could write their own chapter in UH setting history.
"We hope that they put one more impression," Hawaii coach Dave Shoji said. "Whatever happens, they've etched themselves into the history. They go right in there with Joyce Ka'apuni, the Robyn Ah Mows. They're right in there with Cheri Boyer. The setting list is a tremendous list and they go right on that list.
"We haven't had to worry about a setter for four years. That position has been solid for us. We never had to worry about bringing another ... that in itself takes pressure off the team and off the program recruiting-wise. There's just never been a question about it. We've been fortunate to have them for four years."
And they've felt fortunate to be here and meet each other. Though first impressions were a bit misleading.
"There's a picture in the coaches' office of Lily (Kahumoku), Margaret and I our senior year (in high school)," Carey said. "I'm not going to lie ... the first time I met Margaret, I was a little scared. I couldn't pronounce her last name. I was intimidated a little bit, I guess."
Vakasausau said she felt the same way, but didn't express it.
"I never show my emotions to that extent," she said. "I was really nervous with Jen because she was all-world. I was the little local kid. Nobody knew who I was, but everyone knew who Jen was on the mainland. To get to know her and to realize she is just a person and just as ditzy as I am."
On the court, Carey was anything but ditzy. She was the prep phenom who was handed the reins to the offense her freshman year. She guided UH to a 60-4 record in two years as the starter.
Vakasausau still marvels at Carey's ability to come in and run the offense immediately as a freshman. Carey can't get over Vakasausau's tremendous work ethic.
"I see it all the time," Carey said. "I've been setting forever and ever and she just came into the program setting. To catch up, she worked hard to do that.
"I'm just amazed at how much she's learned and how she's applied it over these four years. To come into this program and learn how to set from scratch is amazing to me. I'm in awe. I'm just proud of her. She is the hardest worker on the team."
Their friendship withstood the ultimate test when Vakasausau replaced Carey as the starter early last season. Carey made the transition and became a starter later as a hitter.
Both wanted to set this season and together they make a great front and back row combination with Carey's blocking and Vakasausau's awe-inspiring defense.
"It's funny because everyone wants us to hate each other and be enemies," Vakasausau said. "We're the same position, the same year and they want us to hate each other and we can't. It's always been that way.
"When I'm on the court, I can hear her yelling for me. When she's on the court, I hope she can hear me yelling for her."
In the gym, it has always been about putting positive pressure on each other. When one does well, the other feels the need to do the same in their own capacity.
"They spend about half an hour doing reps together," Shoji said. "One sets the ball, the other sets the ball. They take turns in our setting drills for 20 to 30 minutes every day.
"It's never been a sense of that being a competitive thing. It was always 'Let's get better, let's both get better.' You kind of tend to doubt it sometimes, but we've never seen anything come out on the practice court about any kind of competition or 'I have to do better than her.' It's 'We both have to get better' and that's very unique in this time."
Friends tend to be that way and Vakasausau and Carey couldn't hate each other even if they tried.
"I think it's too important to us," Carey said. "The friendship and all the stuff we have in common and how much fun we have together is more important than some petty-competitive thing on the court.
"It's also about how are we going to get a ring? It's just realizing that's the main goal. I'm sure we've tried to be enemies. But at the end of the day, I can't wait to get back and tell her something."
It's been that way for four years.
Carey will graduate in the spring but is undecided about whether or not she'll stay in Hawaii. Vakasausau will take another year to complete course work and perhaps study abroad. Neither plans to pursue playing professionally.
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