1,100 and counting

DAVIS, Calif. » It took Dave Shoji 38 years to coach a volleyball match at UC Davis. When it finally happened Saturday, his Hawaii team made it memorable and mercifully quick.

Shoji became the second in his sport to reach 1,100 wins when the seventh-ranked Rainbow Wahine swept the Aggies 25-17, 25-23, 25-17 before 1,005 at The Pavilion.

The aftermath was low-key in comparison to the stringing, tossing and general craziness of Shoji’s 1,000th win in 2009. There was a team picture with a very large "1,100" sign and a very calm Shoji.

But it is hardly an achievement that can go under the radar.

"That’s a lot of wins," UH freshman Jade Vorster said. "It’s really cool playing for a coach who … he’s lost some games, too (183), so he’s coached over 1,100 games, won a lot of them. It’s just crazy to think he’s been on the court, on the bench for that long.

"Sometimes I forget he’s been doing this for so long and I haven’t. I think, why’s he telling me to do this and blah, blah, blah and then I remember … oh yeah, he knows what he’s doing. He’s still feisty. Feisty is the word."

Shoji was as involved as ever in the 71st consecutive conference win for Hawaii (24-2, 16-0 Big West), which clinched the conference title two weeks ago.

He started transfer Stephanie Hagins, from nearby Elverta, Calif., for the first time this season, looking to bolster a block that has been MIA lately. She produced two of the Wahine’s 10 stuffs and was a force offensively, going 6-for-7. Kristiana Tuaniga took over in the final set and stuffed three balls, while Vorster had four blocks and an 8-for-13 kill line.

"I just wanted to see Stephanie in a match that wasn’t a mop-up situation," Shoji said. "Kalei (Adolpho) has been OK, but we need more out of that position, so I was just looking to see if we can get more."

They also helped Shoji find a balance that has been missing, partly by design. Hawaii had five hitters with at least four kills against the Aggies. That allowed Emily Hartong and Jane Croson a little breather, but they still led the attack with 12 kills apiece.

The 1,100 wins allowed Shoji and his team to celebrate. It was a necessary release as they head into their final two regular-season matches. They are trying to become the first BWC team since 2002 to go unbeaten in league play, but more importantly, they are attempting to earn one of the 16 NCAA tournament seeds and host a subregional.

UC Davis (16-14, 10-7) came into the match in third place after outlasting Cal State Northridge on Friday. They were led by Devon Damelio with 13 kills. Reigning Big West Player of the Week Allison Whitson, who celebrated senior night after the match, had 10 kills but hit just .056.

The Aggies’ best shot at beating Hawaii came in the second after they erased a 9-2 deficit, tying it at 23. UH libero Ali Longo came up with a pancake dig to stop the run and Hartong buried that point and the last. She and Croson hit just .226, but the Wahine finished at .324 for the match.

"For us, we always need to serve a little tougher," UCD coach Jamie Holmes said. "We are a very easy serving team, so it allows them to run all their options. … The problems started on the defensive side, then I saw our offense taper off more and more."

The match lasted just 84 minutes — almost an hour less than Friday’s five-set win at Pacific. That gave Shoji time and energy to celebrate.

"I don’t think the girls knew much about this," he said. "I told them it’s not about me, it’s always about the team. But they know the numbers are pretty large."

Large enough that Holmes could not quite comprehend the achievement.

"I couldn’t get that many wins in my grave … ," said the sixth-year coach, who just got her 100th win. "I tried to add it up and, oh my gosh.

"I always had the opportunity to play for legend coaches. I was always in awe of their longevity and patience and ability to adapt to new generations of kids. I played for Debby Colberg (at Sacramento State), who was old school, and (coached under Ohio State’s) Jim Stone, who coached 30 years, so he was old school, too. I think to myself if I went old school on my kids they just wouldn’t respond to me. So I look at him and wonder how many times Dave has had to recreate his coaching style."

The Wahine finish the Big West season by hosting Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday and UC Riverside on Friday, in a match that has been moved back to 8 p.m. Emily Maeda, the lone UH senior, will be honored that night.