Wahine sweep Pacific, face UCLA for title

Volleyball’s adaptation of “The Big Bang Theory” will be the featured attraction at the Stan Sheriff Center tonight when No. 15 Hawaii hosts No. 8 UCLA. There’s sure to be big swings and bigger blocks when the two longtime rivals meet for the 74th time in a rivalry that dates back to 1974.

For the 16th time in the Hawaiian Airlines Classic, the outcome of this match will decide the championship. The Rainbow Wahine (3-2), who lead the series 37-36, are going for their 12th title; the Bruins (5-0) their 11th and second in a row.

It’s personal, with many of the Hawaii and UCLA players having gone against each other in high school and in club. It’s very personal for the Hawaii juniors, who have never defeated the Bruins in their careers.

“Oh, my gosh, a lot of us know each other so well,” Hawaii junior defensive specialist Gianna Guinasso said. “It will be nice to see them, but it is a rivalry. We just have to be stronger.”

Hawaii also has to be more balanced than what it showed in Friday’s night’s 25-15, 25-18, 25-23 sweep of Pacific. The Wahine again relied heavily on senior opposite Nikki Taylor, who had 41 of the team’s 87 attacks, putting down a match-high 22 kills.

“We’re not getting a lot of production out of our other positions,” Hawaii coach Dave Shoji admitted. “We’ve needed to keep going to her.

“For two games tonight, we took care of the ball. Things got a little loose, they got some momentum and we gave them points. When we do that, games will be close.”

It was a little too close for the last 30 minutes of the 86-minute match. As a storm-braving crowd of 4,913 watched, the Tigers created some anxious moments, leading as late as 16-15 and closing to within 21-20 and 24-23.

After UOP senior hitter Lexi Elman aced Hawaii’s backcourt twice to close to 24-23, the night ended anticlimactically on Elman’s service error, the 15th by the Tigers.

Elman finished with a team-high 10 kills.

Hawaii won the block war, 11-7, with junior middle Emily Maglio tallying a career-high nine. Five of the stuffs came in Set 1 when the Wahine dominated.

“I don’t think the game was ever in doubt,” Maglio said. “There has been a little drop in energy (after Set 2). We need to bring the same intensity that we have at the beginning.”

The Bruins set up the title match by rallying past Missouri State 21-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-15.

The Bears (2-3) and Tigers (2-3) meet for third place at 4:45 p.m.

For the past six years, it’s been former Hawaii associate head coach Mike Sealy on the opposite side of the net. UCLA has won four of those meetings, including the past two. Last year’s loss to the Bruins was the only time the Wahine lost at home.

“I know (Sealy) so well, we’re friends,” Hawaii coach Dave Shoji said. “He’s become an extension of Andy (retired Bruins coach Banachowski).

“They’re a really good defensive team. There will be some long rallies. We have to win our share. And we have to be better balanced.”

The Wahine threw a block party in Set 1, having more blocks (four) than kills until Taylor’s second kill gave Hawaii its fifth kill and a 17-10 lead. At 24-13, McKenna Granato committed the Wahine’s first error in 19 swings when she was blocked.

Maglio was stuffed on the next play, the second and last hitting error of the opening set for Hawaii. Taylor ended it with her fifth kill.

The Wahine broke away in a tight Set 2, using one of the Tigers’ 15 service errors to break the fifth and final tie at 9-8. Taylor added two consecutive aces and Norene Iosia her second to push the margin to 22-15.

Elman and Ashlyn Fleming blocked Taylor, her first error in 19 swings. Taylor responded by putting down her next attempt for her ninth kill to give the Wahine the 2-0 lead.

Just as Hurricane Madeline was downgraded, Hawaii lost energy and focus coming out of the locker room for Set 3. There were four lead changes and seven ties, the last at 16-16 when Shoji challenged a no-touch call on a Taylor swing. The video replay showed that the UOP block had touched Taylor’s swing, making Shoji 7-for-7 this season when challenging an official’s call.

No. 8 UCLA 3, Missouri State 0

Junior hitter Reily Buechler (17 kills, 12 digs) and junior setter Ryann Chandler (46 assists, 15 digs) both turned in double-doubles as the Bruins won the dig fest with the Bears 76-60.

The teams combined for 136 digs, including 26 by MSU in Set 1. Bears sophomore libero Emily Butters finished with a match-high 25.

Missouri State got 17 kills and 12 digs from junior hitter Lily Johnson and 10 kills from sophomore hitter Ashley Ophoven.

UCLA also got 12 kills from senior hitter Jordan Anderson and 11 each from senior middles Claire Felix at 6-foot-6 and 6-5 Jennie Frager.