Rainbow Wahine
depart for 2-match
WAC road tripSan Jose State and Boise State
will take their shot at unbeaten,
third-ranked HawaiiTime flies when you're having fun, just ask the Hawaii volleyball team. Eighteen matches. Eighteen victories.
Heading into the ninth week of play, the Rainbow Wahine are still having a good time. They never doubted they would.
WAC VOLLEYBALL
Tomorrow: No. 3 Hawaii (18-0, 8-0) at San Jose State, 4 p.m. Hawaii timeFriday: Hawaii at Boise State (16-7, 5-3), 12:30 p.m. Hawaii time
Radio: Both matches live, KKEA (1420-AM).
TV: None
Series: Hawaii leads San Jose State 49-4. Hawaii leads Boise State 7-0.
"We're not surprised we're unbeaten, this is a special team," Susie Boogaard said before UH left today on a two-match conference road trip. "Last year's team had great players, amazing players. But everything has changed, everyone has changed, so you can't compare.
"This season has gone very quickly and my feeling is that we've come this far doing what we do. There's no way we're going to let up now. We're just going to go out, keep fighting and play as hard as we can. I think we've passed the hard part. Now it's getting to be really exciting."
This is the final regular-season Western Athletic Conference road trip for Hawaii, which remained No. 3 in yesterday's USA Today/AVCA Coaches Top 25. With the loss by previously undefeated Ohio State to Illinois last week, the Wahine (18-0, 8-0) are now one of two unbeatens nationally. No. 1 Washington (17-0) is the other.
Hawaii takes on San Jose State (14-7, 5-3) tomorrow and Boise State (16-7, 5-4) on Friday. The Spartans fell to Rice in five last week, the first time in seven matches San Jose State lost when it went to five.
Spartan coach Craig Choate knows it will take a total team effort to beat the Wahine for the first time in 27 matches. The last time San Jose State won was at home in Choate's first season in 1993.
"We can't compete with them if everyone doesn't show up," Choate said. "I'm not at all surprised Hawaii is undefeated. Hawaii doesn't start at scratch like most programs."
Choate joked that his players needed to grow about a foot each in order to hang with the Wahine. But the Spartans are at a disadvantage in height; their only starter over 5-foot-10 is 6-1 freshman middle Jennifer Senftleben.
Senftleben leads the Spartans in kills (3.53 kpg) and is second in blocks (1.02 bpg). Senior hitter Carrie Nash, at 5-6, is averaging 3.51 kills and had a team-high 18 against Rice on Saturday.
Boogaard had a match-high 17 kills in Hawaii's 3-0 win over Tulsa on Friday, hitting .438. She leads the team in overall kills (271), averaging .393 kpg.
The junior hitter said she enjoys road trips, but is especially looking forward to this one. Her family will be driving up from southern California to watch tomorrow's match.
"The team has a great time on the road," Boogaard said. "The travel makes us closer and stronger as a team.
"Of course, I'm always thrilled to be back at the Stan Sheriff Center. We wouldn't trade playing at home in front of our fans for anything."
Thoughts of the NCAA Tournament have crept into the collective consciousness of the Wahine. The goal is to continue to win, protect their top-four seed and be able to host first and second rounds.
The predetermined regional sites are Seattle; Minneapolis; Green Bay, Wis.; and Louisville, Ky. The final four is at Long Beach.
"We have the heart to go far," Boogaard said. "This group has worked so hard and deserves it.
"Obviously, we'll keep trying to get better. We need to keep working on every skill, get rid of our ups and downs.
"This team has really great chemistry. Nothing has really changed from the start of the season. We still take it one game at a time."
Note: Tickets for next month's WAC volleyball tournament will go on sale Nov. 1. The tournament will be held at Nevada's Virginia Street Gym in Reno. All-session passes are $30 for adults and $15 for children and students. Tickets may be purchased at the University of Nevada athletic ticket office or by calling (775) 348-PACK (7225). The Silver Legacy Hotel is offering a fan rate of $79 Friday-Saturday and $49 Sunday-Thursday. For reservations, call 1-800-687-8733. The reservation ID code is "volley."
UH Athletics
www.hawaiiathletics.com
