Ka Leo O Hawaii

Issue date: 8/29/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Diana Lorge Despite a rough start in the ASICS Tournament, junior left-side hitter Jamie Houston still managed to score her 1,000th career kill in the Wahine win over Colorado State.

          Coming off a 1-2 finish at the ASICS Rainbow Wahine Invitational tournament, including an upset sweep by the Oregon State Beavers in their last match, the Rainbow Wahine are looking to find their way back into the win column in this weekend's Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center.
          After losing matches against the University of Michigan and Oregon State, the Rainbow Wahine fell from No. 10 to No. 16 in the latest poll. The Beavers, who went 3-24 during the 2006 season, stunned the 'Bows by delivering them one of the worst home losses to an unranked opponent in UH history. Hawai‘i finished third in the tournament and had only one player, senior middle Juliana Sanders, on the all-tournament team.
          Sanders averaged 11 kills and four blocks a match with a.423 hitting percentage, including an outstanding .688 percentage in the 'Bows win over Colorado State. In addition to Sanders, the Rainbow Wahine also found consistency in sophomore setter Stephanie Brandt. Brandt, who came off the bench against Michigan, won the starting spot after putting up 39 assists, 10 digs and five blocks in four games.
          The Rainbow Wahine have gone through a different starting lineup in every match thus far and will probably enter with a different lineup in the opening round of the Classic against 25th-ranked Kansas State University. Hawaii's other opponents in the Classic include the University of Louisville Cardinals and the rival powerhouse University of California at Los Angeles Bruins.
          The last time the Bruins and 'Bows met, the two were playing for a spot in the 2006 Final Four. The Bruins swept the 'Bows 30-16, 30-23, 30-23 in front of a capacity crowd at the Stan Sheriff Center. Since then, both squads have lost key players to graduation in All-American UH setter Kanoe Kamana‘o and UCLA middle Nana Meriwether.
          The Bruins are now ranked fifth in the nation, having split their first two matches - falling to top-ranked Nebraska at the American Volleyball Coaches Association Showcase and sweeping 21st-ranked Utah. The Bruins are now led by junior Ali Daley. The outside hitter is averaging 15 kills a match, including a double-double performance in in order to get back into the winners circle. With two of their matches decided in five games, the 'Bows will also need to close out their opponents, not allowing any room for comebacks.

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