Seasiders NAIA’s
By Cindy Luis
team to beat again
Star-BulletinLast year, it was "Be Humble and Rumble." This season, it's "Learn and Earn."
Whatever the motto, the top-ranked Brigham Young-Hawaii Seasiders have one goal for their final season of NAIA competition: Win a fourth consecutive championship.
The burden of proving their worth rides heavily on the arm of sophomore All-American Arlete Silva, a viable candidate for NAIA Player of the Year. The 6-foot middle blocker started her campaign early, picking up the MVP trophy as her team went 5-0 at last weekend's Hawaiian Style Classic in Hilo.
The Seasiders appear ready to pick up where they left off, despite the loss of six players from a 30-1 team. The most immediate needs were created by the departure of All-Americans Daniela Carneiro (graduation) and Becky Laubach (Mormon mission) but BYU-Hawaii coach Wilfred Navalta was more than satisfied by his team's performance in Hilo.
"I thought we played real well, played better than I expected," said Navalta. "We're a new team and we only had eight players available for the tournament. I was concerned how they would hold up in the tournament but they held up very well."
Silva is one of the reasons. The Seasiders' co-captain is strong, skilled and blessed with great jumping ability.
"I cannot compare this year's team with last year's," said Silva, one of five Brazilian nationals on the roster. "It's still early . . . but the potential is there."
"I expect a lot out of Arlete this season," said Navalta. "I've told her that how her game goes, the team goes.
"She was definitely the most valuable player in Hilo and my expectations are very high for her this season. If she keeps it up, she could be the national player of the year."
The Seasiders have won seven national titles and have had almost as many NAIA National Tournament MVPs. But only Anik Valiengo in 1995 earned the Player of the Year accolade.
Both BYU-Hawaii and Hawaii Pacific will be leaving the NAIA to join Hawaii-Hilo and Chaminade in the NCAA Division II next season.
There is little doubt that the NAIA waves aloha to its island ties with mixed emotions: Hawaii teams have won 13 titles in the 16 years of participation, finishing second twice and third once in the three years they did not win the championship.
Hawaii Pacific: The 15th-ranked Sea Warriors finished third at the Hawaiian Style Classic, defeating host Hawaii-Hilo Saturday.
Second-year head coach Tita Ahuna brought in two junior-college transfers and has former McKinley all-state pick Tofoi Tuitele to shore up the outside hitting. A solid but short nucleus returns from the 17-10 team that went to the nationals last December.
The biggest hurdles the Sea Warriors face are lack of mainland competition - they make just one road trip outside of the state - and, of course, BYU-Hawaii in the two-team Far West Hawaii Conference.
With one player taller than 5-10 (6-2 Dawn Penebacker), HPU will rely on quickness and defense. Ahuna hopes that hustle and heart will get them past the Seasiders - they haven't beaten them since 1994 - and into the nationals in December.
Back is 5-10 junior middle Heather Campbell, who led the Pacific West Conference in blocks. Waimea High product Ginelle Palau has transferred from Arizona Western and is considered the Vulcans' best all-around player.
Hawaii-Hilo (3-3) finished fourth in its Hawaiian Style Classic last weekend, then dropped a five-setter to Cal Poly Pomona Monday.
"After what happened to us, the conference teams got a wake-up call," said Chaminade coach Glennie Adams. "Everyone has now scheduled the top nonconference teams in their region,"
Unfortunately for the Silverswords, the top teams in their region are both in the NAIA. Wins against BYU-Hawaii and HPU don't help the power rating but losses to them hurt.
The Silverswords went 3-1 last weekend at the Colorado Coca-Cola Classic, beating UC Davis, Adams State and Mesa State, while losing to host Western State. Outside hitters Doris Bikar and newcomer Cecilia Williams were named to the all-tournament team.
Chaminade returns 10 players from its best-ever season, including PacWest Player of the Year Danielle Robins, the team's lone senior.
Schedules in Scoreboard
