Taste of defeat sticks with Wahine

They hope to use memories of a loss to USC as motivation to begin their season

By Ann Miller

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Aug 23, 2012

~~<p>Last time the Rainbow Wahine played a volleyball match, before a sold-out Stan Sheriff Center crowd in December, revenge was sweet for Southern California. After having Hawaii end three of their previous five seasons, the Trojans rode Alex Jupiter's remarkable talents to a five-set win in an NCAA Regional semifinal.</p>
<p>The Wahine felt miserable when it was over and the winter and spring have not dulled their discontent. Going into Friday's season opener against Albany in the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational, they can recall every decisive moment of the 21&frasl;2-hour experience that featured two of the country's three top-ranked teams. Jupiter, who would be named national player of the year the following week, finished off Hawaii with the last eight of her 33 kills in the final set.</p>
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<h4>CHEVRON RAINBOW WAHINE INVITATIONAL</h4>
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Last time the Rainbow Wahine played a volleyball match, before a sold-out Stan Sheriff Center crowd in December, revenge was sweet for Southern California. After having Hawaii end three of their previous five seasons, the Trojans rode Alex Jupiter's remarkable talents to a five-set win in an NCAA Regional semifinal.

The Wahine felt miserable when it was over and the winter and spring have not dulled their discontent. Going into Friday's season opener against Albany in the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational, they can recall every decisive moment of the 21⁄2-hour experience that featured two of the country's three top-ranked teams. Jupiter, who would be named national player of the year the following week, finished off Hawaii with the last eight of her 33 kills in the final set. CHEVRON RAINBOW WAHINE INVITATIONAL Login for more...