While Charlie Wade prepares for his inaugural season as Hawaii men's volleyball coach, the team he left behind is doing quite well.

The University of the Pacific (Calif.) women's volleyball team knocked off then-No. 23 UC Irvine in four sets Saturday to improve to 16-7 overall and 6-5 in the Big West Conference.

With five regular-season matches left, the Tigers have a chance for their first 20-win season since 2001.

“;What we can do is win every game from this point and let whatever happens, happens,”; said senior Dancyne Kama, a 2006 Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate and one of four players with local ties on the team.

Kama and senior Carly Hiromoto (Punahou '06), who is redshirting this season, were the first two local girls Wade recruited to Pacific when he got the job as head women's volleyball coach.

Since then, he added sophomore outside hitter Rebekah Torres (Kamehameha '08) and freshman Pihanakealoha Kea (Punahou '09), who made her first start at setter against the Anteaters.

However, the decision to move his family back to Hawaii to coach the men's team has kept Wade from seeing the team he put together excel on the court.

“;I don't blame him (for leaving),”; Kama said. “;If I had that opportunity, it'd be hasta la vista for me, too.”;

Kama has made a nice home for herself at UOP, where she has played primarily as a defensive specialist since tearing two ligaments in her ankle during her freshman year. She finished with a team-high 22 digs against UC Irvine in support of Kea, who had a game-high 42 assists as the Tigers snapped a three-game losing streak.

“;It'll be like a turning point for us because there's no way to go but up,”; Kea said. “;We just needed a win and I played hard, hustled my butt off, and just knew we had to have everything.”;

The win was good news for Kea, who had to endure the friendly taunts of Torres and Kama after Kamehameha defeated Punahou for the state volleyball championship Friday night.

“;I have no clue what happened. I thought they had it in the bag,”; Kea said. “;Undefeated right to the very end.”;

The Tigers end the regular season with a two-match road trip tomorrow at Long Beach State and Saturday at Cal State Fullerton, followed by a three-match homestand that wraps up on Nov. 21 against UC Davis.

A 4-1 finish would guarantee the best season in eight years for Pacific women's volleyball and give Kama an ideal ending to a wonderful four years of college.

“;I've enjoyed every minute of it,”; she said. “;We've made progress every year I've been here and the six of us (seniors) have been here since (we were) freshmen and are still here.

“;So yeah, we'll see what happens.”;

UCLA's Kono places fourth at Turtle Bay

UCLA sophomore Stephanie Kono (Punahou '08) struggled to a final-round, 4-over 76 to finish in fourth place at the Turtle Bay Resort College Invitational yesterday.

Kono earned her third top-10 in four tournaments this season, finishing six shots behind USC's Lizette Salas.

Tulsa freshman Kristina Merkle (Moanalua '09) finished with her best round of the tournament, a 2-under 70, to leap into a tie for fifth place.

Santa Clara's Miki Ueoka (Kauai '07), finished in tie for 19th place (223) and Tamara Surtees (Hawaii Prep '08) finished in a tie for 47th (232).

Other finishers with local ties from mainland schools include UC Davis junior Katie Sisler (Punahou '07) in 51st place and Santa Clara's Jamie Nonaka (Punahou '06) in 92nd place.