UH looks to keep win streak against Utes

There are three things that Utah coach Beth Launiere knows to be true heading into today’s Hawaiian Airlines Classic finale with host Hawaii.

>> The Utes have never defeated the Rainbow Wahine in 11 previous meetings.

>> A female coach is guaranteed to claim the championship of the 30th edition of Hawaii’s signature volleyball tournament.

>> It will be an odd feeling not seeing Dave Shoji on the opposing bench. She was 0-10 against him.

The latter two are somewhat rolled into one with the retirement of Shoji earlier this year after 42 seasons and former Wahine All-America setter Robyn Ah Mow-Santos named as the first woman to head the Hawaii program.

For the first time, the tournament field had four female head coaches “and I thought about that when I was on the bench tonight,” said Launiere after No. 22 Utah’s sweep of Western Carolina. “It’s awesome. Now if we can only have that happen in the final four.”

Considering that only three female coaches have even advanced to the NCAA final four — none winning the title — that historical occasion may be a ways off. However, today’s match does have some historical context, as the Utes are ranked and Hawaii isn’t. Utah is looking to be the fourth consecutive Pac-12 team to leave the Stan Sheriff Center with the HAC title trophy as well as be the eighth straight Top 25 squad to defeat the Wahine dating back to 2015.

Despite Hawaii’s early struggles this season, “I think they’re going to be tough to beat,” said Launiere, in her 28th season at the Salt Lake City school. “I had no doubt that they’d figure some things out. They had so much new going on that I knew it would be a tough opening week for them.

“They’re good defensively, have a good block, nice size. I like their physicality.”

One thing that Utah has that Hawaii doesn’t is a six-rotation player the caliber of Ute senior hitter Adora Anae. The Kahuku graduate, a preseason All-Pac-12 selection, has 25 kills so far in the tournament.

“She can fill up a stat sheet as well as any player I’ve ever had,” Launiere said. “She’s as good of a passer and defender as she is a hitter.

“She is the type of player that does every part of the game well and that’s what makes her special.”

Utah sophomore setter Bailey Choy had one word to describe her teammate.

“Annihilator,” the ‘Iolani School graduate said. “She can terminate.”

Bailey said she was excited about playing against Hawaii and her former club coach Ah Mow-Santos.

“I can remember as a little girl, sitting up in the stands and watching all the UH teams play,” Choy said. “It’s a dream come true to be playing on this court.

“Robyn was my club coach and is my auntie. I was so happy for her when she got the job. It couldn’t be a more perfect fit. Her heart is always in the game, always wants her players to do well. She’s so passionate and she makes you want to play.”

This is the first time the Utes have been to Honolulu when it wasn’t a conference match (Western Athletic 0-2) or NCAA tournament (0-2).

Launiere remembers the 1996 WAC match particularly, notably the step-out play that Ah Mow-Santos would run with the eventual national player of the year, current Wahine assistant Angelica Ljungqvist.

“It’s fun being back here, but it’s a different feeling since it’s not conference or NCAA match,” she said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve played.”

Ah Mow-Santos said she was looking forward to today’s match as Hawaii looks for its first HAC title since 2013.

“They’re a very physical team,” she said. “I think it’s going to be a fun game to coach.”

Note

This is Utah’s first trip here since the 2000 NCAA tournament. The last meeting was in Salt Lake City in 2004 in what would be the middle of a 23-day road trip for the Wahine, where they were in Reno, Nev., for the WAC tournament, at Utah State and Utah for nonconference matches and at Fort Collins, Colo., then Green Bay, Wis., for the first three rounds of the NCAA tournament.

In Saturday’s de facto third-place match, South Dakota swept Western Carolina, 25-13, 25-19, 25-17 in 72 minutes. Hitter Hayley Dotseth led the Coyotes (2-4) with 15 kills, setter Brittany Jessen had a double-double (33 assists-10 digs) and libero Anne Rasmussen had 19 digs.

For the Catamounts (1-5), setter Hannah Price had 25 assists and 13 digs and middle MaKenzie White eight kills.