Wahine start season strongNikki Taylor leads Hawaii in its opening night victory over IdahoBy Cindy Luis,
Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 1:30 a.m. HST, Aug 29, 2015
LAST UPDATED: 2:19 a.m. HST, Aug 29, 2015
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
Hawaii celebrated after Nikki Taylor, in the middle, had a kill during the first set against Idaho in the 2015 Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational. more photos
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
UH head coach Dave Shoji directed the team Friday.
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
UH’s Tayler Higgins made a block in the second set against Idaho on Friday.It was an opening night that was Taylor-made for success. Behind junior hitter Nikki Taylor's 12 kills and buoyed by reserve setter Kendra Koelsch's play at the ends of Sets 2 and 3, No. 18 Hawaii turned back Idaho 25-18, 25-23, 25-19 Friday night in the second match of the Chevron Invitational at the Stan Sheriff Center.
A crowd of 5,391 (6,845 tickets) saw the Rainbow Wahine (1-0, 1-0) win their seventh consecutive season opener, needing 100 minutes and two successful closing runs to sweep the Vandals (0-1, 0-1). There is little time to savor the victory, with the focus quickly turning to Saturday's opponent, Wichita State (1-0, 1-0).
In Friday's opener, sophomore middle Abbie Lehman put down a match-high 12 kills in leading the Shockers to a 25-23, 26-24, 25-19 sweep of the Beavers (0-1, 0-1). Oregon State (0-1, 0-1) meets Idaho (0-1, 0-1) in the first match at 4:30 p.m.
"They run a different type of system, one you'll never see run by any other team, where their setter blocks middle," Hawaii coach Dave Shoji said of Wichita State. "We'll be challenged by them because every player they have does something really well.
"The challenge will be taking away what they like to do."
What Shoji took away from Friday's win was some great performances and some uneven ones. Taylor hit a career-high .500 but was hitting 1.000 (9-0-9) until her 10th attempt was ruled long, a controversial call that gave Idaho an 18-16 lead in Set 2.
The Vandals were poised to even the match when they went ahead 22-19 and 23-20, but service errors -- two of their 12 for the night -- kept Hawaii close. At 23-21 and with the 6-foot-4 Taylor at the service line, the 6-1 sophomore Koelsch replaced 5-9 junior Tayler Higgins at setter.
The change immediately sparked Hawaii, igniting a run that had two kills by Koelsch bookend a kill and an ace by Taylor.
"Kendra always gives us a lift and is very offensive," Shoji said. "She came up huge in Game 2 and we'll continue to use her.
"We took turns coming up with good plays."
At the end of Set 3, it was defensive specialist Clare-Marie Anderson's turn when she came in to sub with Koelsch. After Tai Manu-Olevao's solo block of Katelyn Peterson tied it at 19, Anderson camped out on the service line for the final six points as the Vandals somewhat self-destructed.
Three consecutive Idaho hitting errors made it 23-19 and quickly it was aloha ball on Manu-Olevao's eighth kill. Manu-Olevao and senior middle Olivia Magill teamed to stuff Peterson to end it with Hawaii's 10th block.
"We got 10, but it didn't seem like we blocked very well," Shoji said. "We need to be better tomorrow."
Peterson led the Vandals with 11 kills and libero Jenna Ellis had 11 digs.
Hawaii got a late-afternoon lift when junior middle Annie Mitchem was cleared to play. The 6-3 Mitchem, the reigning two-time AVCA two-year-college national player of the year, saw her first D-I action in Set 3, putting down her first attempt.
"I was super nervous," she said. "This was the biggest crowd I've ever played in front of. I'm used to maybe 100 (at Irvine Valley).
"I'm really happy and it was great having everyone cheer for you."
Wichita State 3, Oregon State 0The Shockers rallied late in the first two sets, then controlled Set 3 in the 90-minute victory. Junior libero Dani Mostrom was impressive in anchoring WSU's defense with 19 digs.
"You could tell from the beginning that it was going to be how we could dig and convert," Shockers coach Chris Lamb said. "Our libero got into the flow and we were able to stay in system.
"Opening match we were just keeping things simple."
Freshman hitter Shimen Fayad added a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs for the Shockers.
The Beavers won the block war 8-3 but struggled on offense, hitting .198. Sophomore hitter Mary-Kate Marshall finished with a team-high nine kills.
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