That will get your attention.
If No. 18 Hawaii had any problems concentrating on this week’s two final regular-season volleyball matches, what happened in the Walter Pyramid last week served up a huge dose of Focus Factor. Long Beach State, the Rainbow Wahine’s opponent on Friday’s senior night, comes into the Stan Sheriff Center on a four-match win streak that includes huge wins over UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly.
And the Beach (12-15, 9-6) did it with a revamped lineup and two players who were injured when the Wahine won their Big West opener in the Pyramid on Sept. 27. Freshman setter Tia Chavira moved to outside hitter, putting down a combined 30 kills against the Gauchos and Mustangs en route to being named both the conference player and freshman of the week on Monday.
Senior middle Kjersti “KJ” Norveel had a career-high 13 kills with no errors and was in on eight blocks against Cal Poly. Senior libero Hailey Harward, who did play against Hawaii (16 digs), had a combined 29 digs last week as well as four aces versus the Mustangs, earning her conference Defensive Player of the Week.
“For me, you’ve got to look at every game is a challenge,” Wahine coach Robyn Ah Mow said on Tuesday. “We’re not taking any team lightly.
“Everyone is saying, ‘You win this then you’re gonna … ’ We gotta win, play good and whatever comes after comes after.”
The quid pro quo is simple. If Hawaii wins Thursday’s match with Cal State Northridge (12-15, 7-8) and Friday’s against Long Beach State, then the Wahine earn the Big West title outright, the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA tournament and possibly hosting duties for the NCAA first and second rounds.
“Every game is super important,” said senior hitter McKenna Ross, one of five Wahine who will be honored after Friday’s match. “We know we need to win every game to make it to postseason.
“Just knowing what’s on the line each game keeps us motivated.”
Not only are these potentially the last home matches for the five who will be honored, it marks the end of an era. This is the last graduating class to have played under the legendary Dave Shoji, who retired after the 2016 season, his 42nd with the program.
Norene Iosia, Kirsten Sibley and Ross all played as freshmen in 2016 while Rika Okino redshirted. (Bailey Choy joined the Wahine this season as a graduate student after playing three seasons at Utah.)
Shoji came to practice on Monday, which Ah Mow, who played for Shoji (1993-96), said was probably one of the best practices of the season.
“He came and it was, ‘Wow, you used to coach us,’ ” Iosia said. “The other players were, ‘That’s so cool you were coached by him.’
“This week is very emotional and bittersweet. It’s something the seniors have been looking forward to with all the family coming in. A lot of my family are coming in (from California) who have never been here. We haven’t played at home in a while (Cal Poly on Nov. 3). We’re excited to be back in ‘The Stan.’ ”
Hawaii puts its nine-match winning streak up against CSUN, which saw its four-match winning skein snapped when the Matadors were swept by Cal Poly on Friday. Northridge also lost in straight sets Saturday to UCSB.
Both CSUN and Beach celebrated their respective senior nights last Saturday. This week’s matches are the final collegiate career ones for three Beach players and five Matadors, including setter Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker (KS-Hawaii).
“I wish every night was senior night,” Beach coach Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer said during Saturday’s press conference. “We had some wonderful performances from our three (Harward, Norveel and Yizhi Xue). We know what we’re up against (Friday). It’s us against the whole island.”
Note
Friday’s senior night is a designated “White Out,” where attendees are encouraged to wear white. It also is UH alumni appreciation night. Adult tickets in designated sections are 50% off. For information, call the UH alumni office (808-396-7812) or email contact@uhalumni.org.
