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Wahine drop one spot in RPI, AVCA rankings after bye

Cindy Luis
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GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARADVERTISER.COM

Rainbow Wahine Volleyball player Nikki Taylor attempted a kill against UC Irvine Anteaters Loryn Carter and Danielle Geiger in an Oct. 14 game at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Following a bye week, Hawaii dropped one place in both the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Ratings Percentage Index and AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll released today.

The Rainbow Wahine (14-5, 6-1 Big West) were at No. 34 in the computer-generated ratings that measure a team’s record and strength of schedule. Hawaii has the best RPI in the Big West with Long Beach State (15-7, 9-0) at 46, up 13 from last week, and Cal Poly (13-7, 6-3) at 64, down nine.

In the Top 25, Hawaii was down to No. 14. Defending national champion Nebraska (18-1) remained at No. 1 in the poll, receiving all 64 first-place votes.

The top eight were unchanged with Texas at No. 2, followed by Minnesota, Wisconsin, San Diego, Kansas Washington and North Carolina. Florida and Penn State traded places at 9-10, the Gators moving to No. 9 and the Nittany Lions to No. 10.

The Huskers also moved to No. 1 in the RPI, replacing Wisconsin with the Badgers (16-3) losing to No. 2. Wisconsin, which handed Hawaii a 3-1 loss in the season opener. The Badgers had held the top RPI since the first rankings on Oct. 3.

The Wahine had two other nonconference opponents ahead of them in today’s RPI in Washington (staying at No. 7) and UCLA (up a spot to No. 10). Arizona had been ahead of Hawaii but dropped five to No. 36.

The RPI is used by the NCAA selection committee to help seed teams in the postseason. The formula uses winning percentage, opponents’ winning percentage and the winning percentage of opponents’ opponents, plus bonus points for victories over teams of the Top 50 of the initial RPI.

Hawaii returns to Big West play with road matches at UC Riverside on Friday and Cal State Fullerton on Saturday.

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