Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Sept 17, 2004 2:33:19 GMT -5
Cal Looks to Stir Up Trouble in Paradise
Bears to Face No. 7 Hawaii, UC Irvine at Waikiki Beach Marriot Volleyball Invitational
By BRIAN BAINUM
Contributing Writer
Friday, September 17, 2004
Though the No. 14 Cal volleyball team is spending this weekend in Hawaii, the last thing on its mind will be the clear waters of Hanauma Bay.
The Bears (4-2) enter the Waikiki Beach Marriot Volleyball Invitational having dropped two consecutive matches in their own tournament, the Golden Bear Invitational. The losses broke Cal’s 18-game winning streak in regular-season tournament play and dropped the Bears six spots in the AVCA’s national rankings.
Cal’s quest to return to the victory column may be a tough one. The Bears will square off against No. 7 Hawaii at 10 p.m. tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, widely known as one of the most electrifying environments in the NCAA.
The Rainbow Wahine (6-0) average over 6,000 fans per match, the largest contingent of volleyball fans in the nation.
“Hawaii is Hawaii,” Cal coach Rich Feller said. “When you play them at their home in front of all of their fans, they are tough to beat.”
But the Bears’ highly touted matchup with the Rainbow Wahine might overshadow their match against UC Irvine (7-0) Sunday at 6 p.m.
The undefeated Anteaters are not ranked in the top-25, but according to Feller, they belong among the elite.
“Irvine is probably the most underrated team in the country right now,” Feller said. “I put them in the top-25 the first week of the season (in the coaches’ rankings), and they haven’t proved me wrong yet.”
Indeed, not only have the Anteaters won all of their contests this season, they have only dropped two total games—both in a 3-2 victory over Utah.
Irvine is led by the veteran experience of senior outside hitter Kelly Wing and senior setter Ashlie Hain. Wing is pacing the Anteaters with 132 kills, while Hain has distributed a team-leading 336 assists.
What Irvine brings in experience, however, Hawaii possesses in youthful talent.
The Rainbow Wahine have only one senior on their roster, so multiple freshmen and sophomores see playing time. Sophomore setter Kanoe Kamana’o leads the squad in assists (328) and is second on the team in digs (77).
As for Cal’s attack, senior outside hitter Gabrielle Abernathy leads the team with 62 kills, while junior middle hitter Alicia Powers has tallied 55 kills. However, six games into the season, these numbers are less than spectacular.
“We are searching a little bit (for a rotation that works),” Feller said. “We are looking for someone who can consistently put the ball away.”
One player who has not been rotating out at all is sophomore setter Samantha Carter, who has garnered 243 assists for an average of 13.5 per game, good for second in the Pac-10.
Contact Brian Bainum at bbainum@dailycal.org
Bears to Face No. 7 Hawaii, UC Irvine at Waikiki Beach Marriot Volleyball Invitational
By BRIAN BAINUM
Contributing Writer
Friday, September 17, 2004
Though the No. 14 Cal volleyball team is spending this weekend in Hawaii, the last thing on its mind will be the clear waters of Hanauma Bay.
The Bears (4-2) enter the Waikiki Beach Marriot Volleyball Invitational having dropped two consecutive matches in their own tournament, the Golden Bear Invitational. The losses broke Cal’s 18-game winning streak in regular-season tournament play and dropped the Bears six spots in the AVCA’s national rankings.
Cal’s quest to return to the victory column may be a tough one. The Bears will square off against No. 7 Hawaii at 10 p.m. tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, widely known as one of the most electrifying environments in the NCAA.
The Rainbow Wahine (6-0) average over 6,000 fans per match, the largest contingent of volleyball fans in the nation.
“Hawaii is Hawaii,” Cal coach Rich Feller said. “When you play them at their home in front of all of their fans, they are tough to beat.”
But the Bears’ highly touted matchup with the Rainbow Wahine might overshadow their match against UC Irvine (7-0) Sunday at 6 p.m.
The undefeated Anteaters are not ranked in the top-25, but according to Feller, they belong among the elite.
“Irvine is probably the most underrated team in the country right now,” Feller said. “I put them in the top-25 the first week of the season (in the coaches’ rankings), and they haven’t proved me wrong yet.”
Indeed, not only have the Anteaters won all of their contests this season, they have only dropped two total games—both in a 3-2 victory over Utah.
Irvine is led by the veteran experience of senior outside hitter Kelly Wing and senior setter Ashlie Hain. Wing is pacing the Anteaters with 132 kills, while Hain has distributed a team-leading 336 assists.
What Irvine brings in experience, however, Hawaii possesses in youthful talent.
The Rainbow Wahine have only one senior on their roster, so multiple freshmen and sophomores see playing time. Sophomore setter Kanoe Kamana’o leads the squad in assists (328) and is second on the team in digs (77).
As for Cal’s attack, senior outside hitter Gabrielle Abernathy leads the team with 62 kills, while junior middle hitter Alicia Powers has tallied 55 kills. However, six games into the season, these numbers are less than spectacular.
“We are searching a little bit (for a rotation that works),” Feller said. “We are looking for someone who can consistently put the ball away.”
One player who has not been rotating out at all is sophomore setter Samantha Carter, who has garnered 243 assists for an average of 13.5 per game, good for second in the Pac-10.
Contact Brian Bainum at bbainum@dailycal.org
