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It was just four years ago that the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine faced the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 2005 spring exhibition match. Thursday, March 19, the 'Bows and Cornhuskers will go at it again.
"We play to give our players game experience ... (and) Nebraska affords us to play one of the best teams in the country," said head coach Dave Shoji.
The 'Bows will be missing a few key players.
Junior outside hitter Aneli Cubi-Otineru and redshirt freshman Stephanie Ferrell will sit out due to injuries. Cubi-Otineru recently had knee surgery and Ferrell fractured her left ankle during practice last week.
With the loss of two outside hitters, All-American freshman Kanani Danielson is the only one healthy. Because of the injuries, Shoji said that fans may see several players playing in different positions.
One significant move might be junior setter Stephanie Brandt to outside hitter.
"Brandt's excited about it. It will be fun running quick stuff with her," sophomore setter Dani Mafua said.
Redshirt freshman middle blocker Brittany Hewitt will make her collegiate debut as a Rainbow Wahine. Hewitt is a 2008 graduate of Eagle High School in Eagle, Idaho. She lettered four years in volleyball and was a two-time Idaho state Player of the Year.
Amber Kaufman will also be making her return to the volleyball court. She is currently competing with the Rainbow Wahine outdoor track and field team. She tied for sixth place in the high jump at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships last weekend.
Other starters will include Mafua at setter, sophomore Elizabeth Ka'aihue at libero, and possibly Jamie Houston or Catherline Fowler, according to Shoji.
"I think that the chemistry will be a little different, but I think we'll be fine," Mafua said.
The annual exhibition match has boasted such skilled teams as Stanford, Southern California, Nittaidai and Wisconsin over the past seven years.
The 'Bows are coming off a 31-4 season in 2008, with a ranking of No. 7 in the final Bison/AVCA Coaches' Poll. Hawai'i fell to national runner-up Stanford in the NCAA Regional final.
Nebraska ended the 2008 season ranked No. 3, with a 31-3 record, falling to the national champion Penn State Nittany Lions in the semifinals. The Cornhuskers were the only team to take a set off Penn State, pushing the Nittany Lions to five.
The Cornhuskers lead the overall series between the two teams 7-5. The last time the Rainbow Wahine defeated Nebraska was in the NCAA Central Regional in Lincoln, Neb., in 2002.
The match is set for 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center on Thursday, March 19. All tickets will be general admission: $7 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, and $3 for UH students and students age 4 to high school.
"I'm excited," Mafua said. "We may not be the biggest team, but we're scrappy enough to compete with them."
SIDEBAR Promotion: The match sponsor is Phiten, and fans can redeem their ticket stub from this match at the Phiten Hawai'i shop to receive a free gift ($10 value) and the chance to win Phiten necklaces, UH baseball tickets and major league baseball bracelets. Limit one per person while supplies last.
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