Stan Sheriff Center: Visiting Michigan State served up a bitter pill for unbeaten Wahine

This was one of the University of Hawaii’s best volleyball teams ever, and that is saying a lot. On Dec. 8, 1995, the Wahine were undefeated, 31-0, headed into their NCAA regional final against Michigan State.

Then UH’s lineup of All-Americans and Big West all-stars — Jenny Wilton, Therese Crawford, Joselyn Robins, Angelica Ljunquist, Nalani Yamashita, Cecilia Goods and future Olympian and UH head coach Robyn Ah Mow — went up two sets to none.

The Wahine had national coach of the year Dave Shoji guiding them, and 10,000 fans at the Stan Sheriff Center cheering them on.

But the Spartans didn’t give up.

They came back to win and went to the final four instead of the Wahine.

“I told them all they had to do was sideout,” Michigan State coach Chuck Erbe said. “Sideout and the crowd gets quiet.”

It was the toughest loss to accept in the storied history of Wahine volleyball. It comes in at No. 8 in the Star-Advertiser’s top ten countdown of the most memorable sports events in the 25-year history of the Stan Sheriff Center.

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Volleyball beat writer Cindy Luis shared her memories of the game, as well.