CSUN Volleyball Team Kept on Its Toes in Hawaii

Hawaiian paradise has turned out to be more than a few days at the beach for the Cal State Northridge women’s volleyball team. The Matadors survived two unexpectedly tough matches against lower-division foes in the first half of their four-match trip to Oahu.

Chaminade fell in four games, 15-13, 13-15, 15-10, 15-8, late Monday and it took five games late Tuesday for CSUN to do away with Brigham Young (Hawaii) of the NAIA.

The 14-16, 16-14, 13-15, 15-11, 15-5 win extended Northridge’s winning streak to nine matches and improved CSUN’s record to 18-5.

Now, the difficult part begins. Northridge will take on 15-2 Hawaii, ranked third in the NCAA Division I coaches’ poll, today at 10 p.m. (PDT) and Friday at 10 p.m. (PDT).

It marks the first time the Matadors will play back-to-back games against the same team.

“The first night we’ll prepare the same way we do with every other team,” CSUN Coach Walt Ker said. “The second night it’ll be a little different. Everyone has a little more of the book on each other. Still, the bottom line is we gotta execute. Hawaii is such a great team. Physically, they have no weaknesses.”

A victory or two over a highly ranked team such as Hawaii would give CSUN what the NCAA considers to be a “significant win.”

In its quest to earn an at-large berth in the 32-team NCAA tournament, CSUN needs several significant wins and a minimum of significant losses, that is, losses against teams that the Matadors should beat.

Two of CSUN’s losses are against teams that currently are ranked in the top 20. Another loss, to USC, came when the Trojans were ranked.

“Even if we are 25-7 at the end of the season we may not get a bid,” Ker said. “A win or two over Hawaii would look good in the NCAA’s eyes. But the San Diego State and (Cal Poly) San Luis Obispo matches (Oct. 26 and Nov. 16, respectively) are just as significant. We can’t lose to them because we are not supposed to. Although the winning streak is critical we weren’t supposed to lose to any of those teams.”

Against BYU (Hawaii), Matador senior Kathleen Dixon played the best blocking match of her career, according to Ker. Along with nine solo blocks and three assists, she had 28 kills. Twin Marianne also played exceptionally well, adding 25 kills and eight blocks. In an unusual move, Ker played Marianne in the back row for both matches and she responded well.

Right-side hitter Shelly Swalec reinjured her hamstring in the match and will be replaced by Shana Wilson against Hawaii.

Although Ker is a taskmaster, the Matadors have combined business and pleasure. Along with snorkeling and shopping, they toured Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu on Wednesday.

“We’re trying to enjoy ourselves in this rough setting over here,” Ker said. “It’s hard.”

So is riding around in three white Cadillacs, the mode of transportation provided for the Matadors when the rental company couldn’t deliver the trio of minivans Ker had reserved.