Dave Shoji thinks the University of Hawaii is in, and he thinks they’ll head to the West Coast for the NCAA tournament.
Dave Shoji thinks the University of Hawaii is in, and he thinks they’ll head to the West Coast for the NCAA tournament.
East brackets may be considered easier, but all in all the Rainbow Wahine coach likes where his volleyball team is headed.
Tai Manu-Olevao and Nikki Taylor each recorded nine kills Saturday night and Hawaii swept UC Davis 25-19, 25-16, 25-15 in a regular-season finale that drew 8,039 fans to Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.
“Might have been our most complete match,” Shoji said on the OCSports broadcast. “I’m glad we could play this well going into the postseason.”
No. 25 Hawaii (21-6, 13-3) will learn if it made the cut in the field of 64 on Sunday. The selection show will be broadcast at 3:30 p.m. HST. The Wahine have been ranked 30th in the Ratings Percentage Index for five consecutive weeks.
“Wherever they send us we’ll take,” Shoji said. “We just want to get in, and you never know. We can beat anybody as far as I’m concerned.”
Seniors Kalei Adolpho (eight kills) and Sarah Mendoza (team-high 16 digs) were honored after their final home matches, as was junior Ginger Long.
Hawaii hit .330. Olivia Magill also collected eight kills, and Kalei Greeley had six.
Allie Wegener led way with nine kills for the Aggies (15-14, 10-6), who hit just .090.
There has been speculation that Shoji’s 40th season could be his last. He wasn’t touching the subject after the match.
“My last home match this year,” he said with a smile. “I’m going to reassess everything after the season … you know I’m going to answer like that, right?”
Hawaii finished runner-up behind Long Beach State in the Big West, snapping its streak of 19 consecutive conference titles.