Online Sports01

by Flavia Brakling, sports editor

On Oct. 8, HPU played 21st-ranked BYU-H in La‘ie, winning in a terrific volleyball battle (32-30, 25-30, 30-28, 27-30, 16-14). In the first set, HPU was down six points (29-23) but worked its way back and took a one-game lead. The last four games were also played point-by-point by both teams, but HPU managed the pressure and brought the victory to Honolulu.

Captain Vera Oliveira, 2004 Pac West Player of the Year, said that the challenge was keeping the focus during the whole game, even in the hardest moments. “Both teams played very well and kept the intensity level very high, but the tie-break is about who wants it more. We were determined and played with heart.”

Junior Barbara Martin and Senior Flavia Brakling led the team in kills with 20 and 24, respectively. National Player of the week, BYU-H’s Yu Chuan Weng had a match-high 37 kills.

Head Coach Reydan Tita Ahuna, 2004 Pac West Coach of the Year, said: “We didn’t play our best, but we won because of our athleticism.”

The night before, Oct. 7, HPU beat BYU-H in three sets (30-28, 30-25, 30-24).
On Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, HPU played Chaminade University at McCabe Gym, in Honolulu. The first night, HPU lost the first game but came back to win the next three (27-30, 30-29, 30-27, 30-14). The Sea Warriors played with a different line up, since freshman Danie Hout was injured. Her replacement Lehua Yap added four kills and 15 digs.

On the second night, HPU swept Chaminade in three games (30-17, 30-13, 30-27). Chaminade played without Marijana Stanic, who injured her knee in the first set the first night.

Senior Mahea Rawlins, defense specialist who had a team-high of 10 digs, said “Different from past seasons, this year there is a lot of encouragement from everybody, which makes us stronger as a team.”

The Sea Warriors play Ursuline College on Oct. 11 and University of Hawai‘i-Hilo on Oct.14 and 15 at St. Andrew’s Priory.

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