By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

RICHMOND, Va. - Honolulu, we have a problem.

The best four women’s volleyball teams in the country are at the Richmond Coliseum for tonight’s NCAA Championship semifinals. Not one thinks it can lose. By Saturday, three will.

Hawai'i's Lily Kahumoku, a first-team All-American, couldn't help by get a yawn in yesterday before the start of practice at Richmond Coliseum at Richmond, Va. Wayne Scarberry • Special to The Honolulu Advertiser

Southern California has clobbered teams in the postseason, possibly because its three starting freshmen don’t know better. Wisconsin worked so hard to get to its first final four that the thought of losing is now out of the question.

Those teams play in tonight’s second semifinal. In the first (1 p.m. Hawai‘i time), the University of Hawai‘i will try to erase the "unbeaten" label that has preceded top-ranked Nebraska all season.

Don’t expect the Wahine to back off.

"The only problem we have, the only way we’ll lose," UH senior Aven Lee said at the start of the season, "is by beating ourselves."

Lee’s Law, validated by her presence at the Wahine’s last final four in 1996, is basically the belief of every team here. Listen to Nebraska junior Jenny Kropp talking about her team’s five-game second-round victory over unranked South Carolina. "We knew we were going to win that game," Kropp recalled. "We trust ourselves. It was just a matter of time and grinding it out.

"When you see our team play you can tell. We have a great deal of trust in each other. When you play with each other so long it gives you an edge. I believe we have that."

Hawai‘i’s edge was sharpened last week with comeback victories over Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara. Nothing came easy for the Wahine, who refused to let this one get away. On Veronica Lima’s "possessed" shoulders, they demolished the 49ers in rally scoring and eventually overwhelmed the Gauchos.

"Veronica just carried us," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "Emotionally, she was a rock in the passing formation and offensively, she would would not be stopped. She rises to the occasion, no question.

"Everybody was looking at her saying, ‘Wow, this is how I want to be.’ "

Hawai‘i will need all of Lima’s innate guidance, and lots more to win its fifth national championship.

Veronica Lima exchanged views with head coach Dave Shoji during the Wahine practice yesterday at Richmond Coliseum. Lima was important in helping the Wahine reach the volleyball final four. Wayne Scarberry • Special to The Honolulu Advertiser

Nebraska has been No. 1 since Sept. 11. Its only blemishes are not even skin deep: It went five games three times, holding off South Carolina, Kansas State and UCLA, a week after the Bruins had been swept in Hawai‘i.

"Nebraska might be a little more physical than Hawai‘i, believe it or not," UCLA coach Andy Banachowski said. "But they are both big, strong attacking teams. It should be a real exciting match. Too bad it has to be a semifinal."

Banachowski said he believes the Huskers have the country’s best blocking, but the Wahine might possess the better attack and ballhandling. His team got back into the match by serving Nebraska out of its system.

"Hawai‘i has Lily (Kahumoku) and (Kim) Willoughby and (Jessica) Sudduth and the middles are so consistent - not flashy, but very consistent," Banachowski said. "I think it’s going to be Hawai‘i’s attack vs. Nebraska’s block."

Creighton coach Howard Wallace, Shoji’s former assistant, also played both teams this season. He also believes the Wahine have a ballhandling advantage, but it might not matter.

"If Nebraska blocks as well as it has all season, it might not need to keep the ball off the floor," Wallace said. "The key for Nebraska is Amber Holmquist. She’s a great blocker and also attacks very well. If Hawai‘i defends her well, it can set the tone. I think she is their go-to player."

Wallace’s key for Hawai‘i?

"One of my players told me that when Lily wants to get the job done, she just goes and gets it done," Wallace said. "She has all the tools, she’s strong, very sound technically, a great person with a lot of desire. That’s what I look forward to seeing."

Somewhere in the 11 hours it took them to get here and the biting cold that greets them each time they step from their suburban hotel, the euphoria of last week’s regional success wore off on the Wahine. Their focus now is simple, and shared by every team here.

Just win. No excuses, no distractions, no reason not to.

"This has been our goal," Sudduth said. "We’re trying not to worry about all the outside stuff. It’s just another gym, another team, another team we want to beat. There is no other way. You can be aware of it, but at this point you have just got to play.

"We’ve got confidence. You want to be playing your best volleyball at the end of the season and we showed moments of that. It feels good to be able to feel that and command that. If you haven’t felt that, it’s hard to act. It makes it a lot more fun to play."

SHORT SETS: Murphy’s Bar & Grill will donate 25 percent of today’s lunch receipts obtained during the Nebraska vs. Hawai‘i match to the Wahine volleyball program. Murphy’s will have 10 TV monitors showing the match, which begins at 1 p.m.

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