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The Titans and Anteaters are waiting with history on their respective minds.
For Cal State Fullerton, there’s a bit of unfinished business when it comes to hosting No. 21 Hawaii. The Titans (10-8, 2-5 Big West) feel they didn’t finish off the Rainbow Wahine (16-3, 6-2) when they had the chance at the Stan Sheriff Center on Oct. 5.
Fullerton was poised to sweep Hawaii when taking the first two sets and leading by as much as 18-13 and as late as 21-20 in Set 3. Instead of leaving Honolulu with their first win over the Wahine, the Titans saw their futility streak extended to 0-41 in a reverse sweep, 22-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-15, 15-7.
“We are still focused on the same goals and that is being the best serving, defensive, hitting solutions, and serve receiving team on the court,” Fullerton coach Ashley Preston wrote in an email. “In the words of Mike Smith, ‘Focus on the root to get the best fruit.’
“So we believe if we focus on our process then we’ll get the result we desire.”
The Titans, home for the first time in October, are 2-1 since seeing the Wahine. Fullerton, picked to finish last in the Big West coaches preseason poll, defeated host UCI in four and split last week’s road matches, sweeping Long Beach State last Friday and then were swept at Cal State Northridge on Saturday.
For the second consecutive Friday, Hawaii will be playing in a designated breast cancer awareness match. The Wahine had theirs last Friday against UC Riverside.
Down the I-405 at the Bren Events Center on Saturday, UC Irvine looks to complete a historic sweep of Hawaii. The Anteaters stunned the then-11th ranked Wahine on Oct. 4 when fending off a sweep, including being down 22-21 in Set 3, to win in five, 11-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16, 15-13
Now 1-40 all-time against Hawaii, UCI tries to make it two in a row over the Wahine as well as snap a three-match skid. The Anteaters haven’t won since their trip to Honolulu, losing at home 3-1 to the Titans followed by last week’s road losses at CSUN in five and at Long Beach State in three.
UCI has been without junior hitter Loryn Carter since she put down 13 kills against Hawaii. Her status was unknown for Saturday’s match.
“We are looking forward to hosting Hawaii this week,” UCI coach Ashlie Hain wrote in an email. “We always get a great crowd when they are here and the opportunity to sweep the series on our home court has not been done before.
“We anticipate a lot of fight coming from the Rainbow Wahine. They are a strong and resilient team.”
Hawaii has struggled occasionally in Titan Gym and the Bren. In 2012 — the Wahine’s first season back in the Big West — they needed five sets to win 25-12, 25-15, 26-28, 25-27, 15-12, a match where Jane Croson had difficulty on her signature sky-ball toss due to the close proximity of the retracted basketball backboard.
In 2012, the Wahine were down 2-1 and trailing 9-7 in Set 4 when a majority of the raucous student crowd left for a campus Halloween party. Hawaii rallied to win in five, 25-21, 22-25, 19-25, 25-22, 15-10.
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BIG WEST VOLLEYBALL
All Hawaii times
>>Today, 4 p.m. No. 21 Hawaii (16-3, 6-2) at Cal State Fullerton (10-8, 2-5)
>> Saturday, 4 p.m. No. 21 Hawaii at UC Irvine (4-15, 1-6)
>> TV: None
>> Radio: 1420-AM/92.7-FM (today), 1500-AM (Saturday)
>> Online: ESPN3 both matches
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