Wahine prepare
for home stretchKim Willoughby returns as Hawaii
hosts three matches in four days
Road trips are anything but routine for college athletic teams.
Practices are held at odd times and in unfamiliar gyms. It's a hotel instead of a dorm room, van transportation instead of walking or mopeds, and a lot of downtime in airports.
Women's volleyball
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
Tomorrow: No. 2 Hawaii (17-1, 5-0) vs. Louisiana Tech (13-8, 2-3), 7 p.m.
Saturday: Hawaii vs. SMU (14-4, 5-0), 7 p.m.
Sunday: Hawaii vs. Arizona (7-10, 1-6), 5 p.m.
Radio: All matches live, KKEA 1420-AM
TV: All matches live, KFVE (Channel 5)
On quick trips, such as the one the Hawaii volleyball team made last week, there wasn't the time for the repetitions and the skill work in the gym that a coach like Dave Shoji likes. The two Western Athletic Conference victories were nice -- sweeps over Boise State and UTEP -- but the combined total minutes of the matches were less than a normal three-hour Rainbow Wahine home practice.
Plus, last week was anything but the norm for Hawaii. The No. 2 Wahine were without outside hitter Kim Willoughby on a road trip for the first time in the All-American's three-plus seasons at Manoa.
Yesterday, the routine was back. And so was Willoughby, who was on the court with her teammates for the first time since the Oct. 4 win over Nevada.
"I feel like I'm out of shape and that I have to start all over again," said Willoughby, still feeling the effects of strep throat. "I did want to lose some weight but not muscle. I think I've lost both.
"I'm just trying to get back into volleyball after a week of missing practice. I've never missed a road trip and I have never missed a whole week of practice."
After traveling Sunday and taking Monday off, Hawaii (17-1, 5-0) has a short week of practice while sandwiching in three matches in four days. First up is Louisiana Tech (13-8, 2-3) tomorrow.
The Lady Techsters went 2-1 last week, with a victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Oct. 7 giving coach Heather Mazeitis her 200th career win. Tech split its WAC matches last week, falling to Rice in three and defeating Tulsa in four, in a match where senior hitter Cristine Sant'Anna had her 34th career double-double with 20 kills and 18 digs.
Also on the schedule this week are matches with SMU (14-4, 5-0), the leader of the WAC's Eastern Division, on Saturday, and Pac-10 foe Arizona (7-10, 1-6) on Sunday. The Mustangs have won a school-record nine straight and are one WAC win away from tying last season's total wins; the Wildcats will be traveling for a nonconference match in the middle of the season for the first time since 1990 when they played at Northern Arizona.
"I think that LaTech has improved every year and it looks like SMU is the best team on the Eastern side so we'll have to pay attention," Shoji said. "I think Arizona finally got on track against UCLA (upsetting the Bruins in four in Los Angeles last week). I scheduled them because they just might have as much talent as anyone in the country.
"The intent is to find someone who can give us outstanding competition in the middle of the year."
Obviously, the competition hasn't come from inside the WAC. Hawaii has won 70 straight conference matches and is also riding a 16-match winning streak.
In the WAC's main six individual statistical categories, Hawaii leads in five for overall matches. Despite missing two matches, Willoughby is still the leader in hitting percentage (.427), kills (6.76.kpg) and aces (0.67 apg). Senior middle Lauren Duggins leads in blocks (1.21 bpg) and freshman setter Kanoe Kamana'o in assists (13.17 apg).
"It feels good to be back in our gym," said freshman backup setter Cayley Thurlby. "I knew it would be an interesting practice. It feels like we haven't touched a ball in a week."
