Dawg gone

SEATTLE » Hawaii was a swing away from redemption in so many ways Saturday. Instead, the eighth-ranked Rainbow Wahine suffered volleyball heartbreak for the second straight season.

They fell to fifth-ranked Washington in the NCAA Championship’s second round, 20-25, 25-20, 19-25, 27-25, 15-11, at Alaska Airlines Arena. The loss was Hawaii’s first since Sept. 9 and ended its season at 27-3.

"I told them I’ve never been prouder of a team in a losing effort," said UH coach Dave Shoji, who will have to wait for next year to become the winningest coach in women’s college volleyball history. "They played their hearts out. We had a swing for the match and got blocked.

"It was fun. Our kids were playing at a really high level. At the end, Washington made the plays and we didn’t, so it’s really disappointing. But I can’t fault my team for any lack of effort. There was effort all the way, as you saw. I’m very, very proud of these women."

The Huskies (25-6), seeded 13th in the tournament, play fourth-seeded Nebraska in the Omaha Regional on Friday. Last time they played in the postseason the two coaches practically came to blows when it ended.

Saturday, before about 3,500 loud UW fans and a very vocal and devoted 200 or so UH fans, both teams just kept swinging at each other, separated by a net.

Emily Hartong was unstoppable in the opening set, burying 11 kills and the Huskies in 23 minutes of utter dominance. The Wahine were practically perfect in a 12-2 surge — senior Emily Maeda serving six straight — that gave them an 18-11 advantage and all the momentum.

They won going away, despite five missed serves. Hartong had one more kill than the entire Washington team, which looked shell-shocked. She would finish with 30 kills, with Jane Croson adding 20 and each collecting 14 digs.

But Hawaii, which had won the past five times it went five sets, could not get the one kill it needed most. It staged a gutsy rally at the end of the fourth, erasing three set points with Ali Longo serving and providing breathtaking digs with Croson and Mita Uiato.

Hartong put the Wahine ahead 25-24, then went up for what would have been her 26th kill and a ticket to the regionals. Amanda Gil — the country’s best blocker — and Kylin Munoz stuffed her.

On the next play, Croson’s rip from the backcourt sailed long. The Wahine argued for a touch, to no avail. Munoz served an ace and it was over.

The Huskies, national champs in 2005, scored four in a row to take control of the fifth set at 11-7 and Hawaii could not come back.

It had been months since anyone could say that. This team was up and down all year, but it was never for lack of effort and it played its best the final two nights in the NCAA Championship.

Which only made the end more difficult.

"It was just how hard we tried," said Hartong, her eyes red and her voice cracking. "I thought this was the best match we played this year. Everyone showed the effort and the heart out there. You could see how bad we all wanted it."

The Huskies were just as relentless, and found a very Wahine-like way to get back in it. Behind the defense of Krista Vansant, Jenna Orlandini and Cassie Strickland, they started to stay in rallies in Set 2, scoring seven straight points early. They hung on through yet another Hawaii comeback, which cut a deficit that had been as big as five to 19-18.

UH could get just one more ball to hit the floor in that set, but found it much more in the third, breaking from 5-all with a 10-4 run that got everyone involved and ended with Croson serving five in a row. She served three more the next rotation around to take UH to 23-19. One came on a jump-serve ace she hit while practically parallel to the floor.

From there the country’s best blocking team began to find the range and the Huskies’ better balance helped them out-hit UH .288-.159 the final two sets.

"We have been in some fights and certainly had some highs and lows this season," said UW coach Jim McLaughlin, whose team tied for fourth in the Pac-12. "But that really strengthened us for conditions like this. I was proud how we responded to the conditions. We did not play well in Game 3 and these guys didn’t quit. They kept fighting, counting on each other in the toughest situations, and they lifted each other.

"It was a huge win for our program. Hawaii is big-time. It’s been big-time many years. It’s too bad they didn’t get to host."

Shoji jumped on that subject last, blasting the NCAA for not seeding his team and allowing it to host.

"It’s a disservice to our athletes to disrespect them like that," he said finally, and angrily.

He had no anger for his team. All year, through all its struggles, the players had each other’s backs. Their practices were more competitive than some teams’ matches and he knew they would never quit on each other.

First-year libero Ali Longo had a match-high 17 digs. Uiato and lone senior Emily Maeda also hit double digits with 10 apiece, and many were spectacular. Uiato, the smallest front-row player on the court, was also in on all but one of UH’s six stuffs.

The Huskies hung 17 blocks on UH.

Hawaii played better in the first five minutes than it did the whole night two years ago against UW in Seattle.

Last season, for the first time in eight years, UH was allowed to host a subregional and it won before more than 8,000 fans. A week later, before a soldout Stan Sheriff Center, it suffered a gut-wrenching five-set loss to USC.

This one was no easier, for any of the Wahine. They all played their part — and often over their head — particularly Hartong.

"Emily led our team almost all year," Longo said. "It’s incredible to play with her, behind her and be able to talk to her. She was just bombing away. Every point we were talking about it — ‘Just let it all out here’ — and I think she did a great job of that tonight. You couldn’t ask for anything more from her … from anybody."