Wahine and 49ers have time-tested rivalry

Long-term memory vs. short-term memory.

The heated volleyball rivalry between Hawaii and Long Beach State has stood the test of time and withstood all the challenges thrown at it, from the 16-year gap between being in the same conference to the Big West no longer being considered one of the premier leagues in the sport.

Still, it hasn’t mattered where the matches have been played, Klum Gym or the Stan Sheriff Center, the Gold Mine or the Pyramid, or at various NCAA tournament sites. The battles have been epic, filled with drama and heartbreak, the latter perhaps found more on the Rainbow Wahine’s side of the court.

Long-term memory recalls Hawaii’s devastating loss in the 1989 regional final, when the Wahine had planned on opening an early Christmas present — that of an NCAA final four appearance at Blaisdell Arena, the first time the program was hosting the national championship finals. Instead, the 49ers’ Tara Cross won the "Battle of the Ts" against Wahine Teee Williams, with The Beach winning in five, sending the 49ers to Honolulu and their first NCAA title.

The Beach would go on to end Hawaii’s season four of the next five years in the postseason, including another two times in five sets.

Even though the Wahine still hold a 28-17 edge in the series, short-term memory always focuses on the most recent. That is that the 49ers took both matches last season, both in five, en route to an undefeated Big West campaign, ending the Wahine’s streak of sharing or winning a conference crown outright at 19.

As far as Hawaii is concerned, the Wahine hope for a short-term memory loss when seeing Long Beach State today. The streaks that matter belong to the Wahine: 10 straight victories and straight-set wins in all five of the conference matches played so far.

"Last year is last year," senior co-captain Tai Manu-Olevao said. "This year is another whole mentality with our team. We’re excited. It’s Long Beach State.

"There’s always something in the air when you play them, that something’s going to happen."

Both teams hope that it’s not more injuries. Hawaii expects to have sophomore middle Emily Maglio available after she missed Friday’s sweep of CSUN, rolling an ankle in practice last week; she participated fully in Saturday’s practice.

Sophomore hitter Kalei Greeley showed little effect of a knee sprained last Saturday at UC Riverside — hitting a career-high .692 against the Matadors — and again is expected to start. However, junior setter Tayler Higgins (sprained left ankle) likely is sidelined, with sophomore Kendra Koelsch scheduled to make her third career start.

The 49ers have been even more of a MASH unit for coach Brian Gimmillaro. The most telling is that he was forced to move starting freshman libero Mykah Wilson to the right side, a position the 5-foot-11 Texan hadn’t played since her sophomore year in high school.

Sophomore middle Ashley Murray (pulled abdominal) hasn’t practiced much but has played, limited to front-row duty. Sophomore opposite Anete Brinke is recovering from labrum surgery after injuring her shoulder during the spring beach volleyball season, and 6-5 redshirt freshman middle Sherridan Atkinson dislocated an ankle as an instructor at The Beach’s summer camp.

Coming into the week, Binke and Atkinson were listed as out for the season, but there is an outside chance that Atkinson could play today, according to Gimmillaro.

Even without the trio that Gimmillaro considers his top three players at full strength, the 49ers have been successful. Their brief appearance in the Top 25 ended after falling at Cal Poly a week ago Friday, a loss that snapped The Beach’s conference winning streak at 23, dating back to 2013.

""I thought we were going to be a really good team," he said. "Right now, we’re looking for ways to win. We need to get better and we have people in the fire that need to mature fast.

"There were years when we (Long Beach State and Hawaii) were the two best teams out there. I’ve always liked playing here, even liked the old Klum Gym days and the playoff matches. I think Hawaii is good — I haven’t seen them (play) live — and I wish we were better. "

There is mutual respect between two of the three winningest active coaches in the game. With the victory at UC Davis on Sept. 25, Gimmillaro (803 wins) joined Hawaii’s Dave Shoji (1,165) and Penn State’s Russ Rose (1,176) at the 800-win plateau; they also have the distinction of having all victories at the same school over 30-plus years. All also have won more than 80 percent of their matches.

"It’s going to be a typical Long Beach State team," Shoji said. "They’re well coached and have weapons everywhere. Their setter (reigning Big West Player of the Year Jenelle Hudson) is very offensive-minded and we have to be aware of her and of all their hitters at all times.

"It’s always very challenging playing them, and not always fun for us. You know he’ll try to do something to try to take us out of what we want to do. We need to do the same."