vballfreak808
Hawaiian Ohana
2020 All-VolleyTalk 1st Team, All-VolleyTalk 2nd Team (2023, 2022, 2017, 2016), All-VolleyTalk HM (2021, 2019, 2018), 2017 Fantasy League 1st Runner-up, 2016 Fantasy League Champion
#GoBows
Posts: 13,127
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Post by vballfreak808 on Sept 2, 2012 21:38:34 GMT -5
Hawaii vs. Saint Mary's
Part 1 of 8
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vballfreak808
Hawaiian Ohana
2020 All-VolleyTalk 1st Team, All-VolleyTalk 2nd Team (2023, 2022, 2017, 2016), All-VolleyTalk HM (2021, 2019, 2018), 2017 Fantasy League 1st Runner-up, 2016 Fantasy League Champion
#GoBows
Posts: 13,127
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Post by vballfreak808 on Sept 2, 2012 21:40:27 GMT -5
Hawaii vs. San Francisco
Part 1 of 6
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vballfreak808
Hawaiian Ohana
2020 All-VolleyTalk 1st Team, All-VolleyTalk 2nd Team (2023, 2022, 2017, 2016), All-VolleyTalk HM (2021, 2019, 2018), 2017 Fantasy League 1st Runner-up, 2016 Fantasy League Champion
#GoBows
Posts: 13,127
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Post by vballfreak808 on Sept 2, 2012 21:41:48 GMT -5
Hawaii vs. Baylor
Part 1 of 5
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vballfreak808
Hawaiian Ohana
2020 All-VolleyTalk 1st Team, All-VolleyTalk 2nd Team (2023, 2022, 2017, 2016), All-VolleyTalk HM (2021, 2019, 2018), 2017 Fantasy League 1st Runner-up, 2016 Fantasy League Champion
#GoBows
Posts: 13,127
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Post by vballfreak808 on Sept 2, 2012 21:43:23 GMT -5
No. 6 Rainbow Wahine Rough Up Unbeaten BaylorBox Score: hawaiiathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?id=16722HONOLULU – Sporting its first long sleeve uniforms in three seasons, the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team turned back previously unbeaten Baylor on Saturday at the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Bears fell to 4-1 while UH remained perfect at 5-0. Baylor swept No. 25 California on Friday but proved to be no match for Hawai'i. The 'Bows made quick work of the Bears and will claim the tournament title with a win on Sunday against Cal. Emily Hartong posted a season-high 18 kills to go along with seven digs. Jane Croson added 11 kills and seven digs of her own, and Kalei Adolpho had a match-high five blocks. Alyssa Dibbern and Laura Jones shared team-high honors with six kills each. Each set saw UH flip the switch and run away with the win. In set one, after a kill by Baylor's Tori Campbell (5 kills) evened the score at 11-11, the 'Bows took off on a 6-1 run to gain command of the set. With the score 20-15, Croson recorded a pair of kills to put the Bears away. Set two was no different as the 'Bows cruised by the Bears 25-13. Jones posted a kill to give Baylor a 7-6 lead, but it would be the Bears' last of the set. UH scored five straight points midway through the set and coasted to the win. Back-to-back kills by both Hartong and Croson pushed the lead to 17-12, and the 'Bows closed the set with eight straight points to grab a firm grip on the match. Completing the sweep would not be easy though, as Baylor made the 'Bows work for their set three victory. Hawai'i trailed 16-14 before Ashley Kastl (2 kills) sparked a 6-0 Rainbow Wahine run to put Baylor away. Earlier in the evening, San Francisco topped California in five sets (22-25, 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 15-12). First serve between UH and California is set for 5:00 p.m. following the conclusion of the 3:00 p.m. match between Baylor and San Francisco.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Sept 3, 2012 13:30:58 GMT -5
Wahine fall flatBy Ann Miller, The Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Sep 03, 2012 FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARADVERTISER.COM Jane Croson watched her hit go past the block of Cal's Correy Johnson in the second set on Sunday.[/i] A night after near-perfection, sixth-ranked Hawaii fell flat Sunday, and even a reeling opponent was not enough to cushion the fall. The Rainbow Wahine salvaged the weekend for 25th-ranked California, handing it a 25-23, 16-25, 20-25, 25-17, 15-12 win. The final point captured both teams' performances perfectly. After coming up empty on their first three match points, the Golden Bears (2-3) shanked Ali Longo's serve backward. They popped it into the air and barely bumped it over the net. All six Wahine watched it hit the floor, an ugly end to 2 hours and 35 minutes of ugly volleyball. "It showed us we've got some hope for the future," said Cal coach Rich Feller, whose team has now defeated UH the last two times after losing the first eight meetings. "We've been fighting the injury bug, haven't had the whole team practice for a couple weeks. Just not really in sync and that shows when you go out and play the good teams that, theoretically, you are supposed to be better than and they are more in tune. "Finally, after a couple nights of practice doing it wrong, we got it right tonight." The Wahine still captured the 25th annual Hawaiian Airlines Classic title because of a ragged win Friday over San Francisco and a sweet sweep of Baylor on Saturday. "I knew we had won before we went into the gym," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "I wasn't going to tell them that. It's little consolation winning that trophy. We just need to come back and have good attitudes in practice this week." Hawaii (5-1), which upset then-No. 6 Stanford a week earlier, is no longer unbeaten. The team traced its fall back to earth to a poor week of practice. "It shows how quick things can turn around," said sophomore Kalei Adolpho, one of the few bright spots against Cal. "We went from feeling amazing last Sunday with the win over Stanford to how we feel right now, which is the complete opposite. It just shows what can happen if you take a week off or let your guard down. You have to have your game all the time." By the end Sunday, Hawaii looked just like Stanford had. Its confidence was shot. Its offense left Stan Sheriff Center, and its 5,622 fans, after the third set. UH had 14 kills and 13 errors in the final two. It had ballhandling breakdowns all night. But Cal, in danger of falling out of the rankings for the first time in a decade, had forgotten how to win early in the match. The Wahine taught them again. "I knew Cal was a much better team than the way they played the first two nights," Shoji said. "I don't know if our team actually respected them enough, but again it's hard when you watch them lose two matches. You say they're not very good, but they are good. We still had a chance to beat them. We just didn't close." Cal, which lost to Penn State in the 2010 NCAA final, could not close in losses at San Diego State last week and against Baylor and USF here. It did close, however awkwardly, against Hawaii. UH started with a whimper, giving setter Mita Uiato few options on offense aside from feeding sophomore Jane Croson high and outside. But Croson had a terrible night, finishing with 17 kills and 13 errors on 62 swings. "We're not a great passing team, and if you look at the stats you would wonder why Jane took the most swings when she was hitting for a low percentage," Shoji said. "But our passing forced us to set her too many times. If our passing was better we could go other places, but we had no choice." Croson took 18 swings in the first set, almost all on off plays. The Bears, whose ballhandling was nearly as bad as Hawaii's, took their first lead at 21-20. They outscored Hawaii 12-6 in the end to win it, looking as surprised as the Wahine. Hawaii did not look much sharper in the second, but the Wahine got eight kills from Emily Hartong and four from Adolpho, whose offense and eight blocks were the highlight of this rough night. And, Cal crumbled. It had just eight kills, working with a two-setter scheme and experimenting with new hitters. UH had only one block, but the Bears could not find the floor. Their attack improved in the third, but Croson pounded out five kills in a 7-1 Wahine surge for a 23-20 lead. They finished it off on one of Hartong's 18 kills — to go with five blocks — but the only time Hawaii led in the final two sets was 1-0 in the fifth, when Cal served into the bottom of the net. "The mark of a good team is consistency," Adolpho said. "That's something I'm struggling with as a player and we are as a team. We were kind of lackadaisical Friday and then sharp Saturday and taking a step backward again Sunday. That's something we're going to have to work on, we're going to get better at." Defending NCAA champion UCLA is here this Sunday on the final night of the Verizon Challenge. The Wahine open Friday against San Diego State, coached by former Olympian and UH All-American Deitre Collins-Parker. They play former Western Athletic Conference colleague Idaho on Saturday. Baylor 3, San Francisco 1Alyssa Dibbern had 15 kills and Thea Munch-Soegaard added 13 as the Bears (5-1, 2-1) claimed second place with a victory over the Dons (4-3, 1-2). Munch-Soegaard added a team-high 17 digs and was in on four of Baylor's 12 blocks. USF got 16 kills from Jocelyn Levig and 10 from Valentina Zaloznik. Rebecca Kopilovitch finished with a match-high 19 digs, and 49 over the three days. HAWAIIAN AIRLINES WAHINE VOLLEYBALL CLASSICAll-Tournament Team » Jocelyn Levig, USF » Alyssa Dibbern, Baylor » Thea Munch-Soegaard, Baylor » Correy Johnson, Cal » Mita Uiato, Hawaii » Jade Vorster, Hawaii Most Outstanding: Emily Hartong (Hawaii)
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Sept 3, 2012 13:34:36 GMT -5
Shoji doesn't go deep into rotationBy Cindy Luis, The Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Sep 03, 2012 FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii's Emily Maeda came up with a dig during the fourth set of Sunday night's match.
The only constant is change. The sport of volleyball is a testament to that. Purists have decried the major overhauls and minor tweaks over the past decades, including the latest of three additional substitutions. Does anyone really need 15, instead of 12? Hawaii coach Dave Shoji didn't think so, until he was out of subs towards the end of Set 2 eight days ago against Stanford. But unlike when it last happened — the NCAA-record marathon victory of 3 hours and 38 minutes against Brigham Young in 1998 — the Rainbow Wahine didn't have to sneak their defensive specialist through the front row. What the added subs have added to Hawaii this season is almost an AYSO atmosphere. Sixteen Wahine have played so far, with the four remaining roster players likely to redshirt. The "DS" abbreviation normally means defensive specialist. In Hawaii's case, it means designated sub, usually in the back row, where players get development time in real-game situations. Friday against San Francisco, it was the debut of redshirt freshman Kayla Kawamura, who was the third option after the normal serving sub pattern of senior Emily Maeda and junior Courtney Lelepali. Saturday against Baylor, it was junior Kristina Kam getting the call at No. 3. And Sunday? The sixth-ranked Wahine didn't go very deep into their depth when needing to dig deep against No. 25 Cal in the finale of the 25th Hawaiian Airlines Classic. Shoji only used 13 players in the 25-23, 16-25, 20-25, 25-17, 15-12 loss to the Golden Bears. Seeing the most time were Maeda, the top sub, and Lelepali, who led a late rally from the serving line in Set 4 that fell short. "I think Cal presented things we hadn't seen before," Maeda said. "And we didn't keep our focus, we didn't execute the little things we needed to do, and our passing broke down. "It's not that we were pushing too hard, but maybe we got a little tight. There's never a good loss, but I think you learn more from a loss. The emotional part is going to stay with us as motivation." "Our team will go back into the gym and work hard this week," Lelepali added. "This is good motivation for us to work even harder to get better." The loss will help evaluate things, Shoji said. The right-side position is still under review, where junior transfer Ashley Kastl played for most of the match. Junior Kaela Goodman came in on the right when Shoji used a double sub, changing out setter Mita Uiato for Monica Stauber. "Our substitution pattern is pretty well set and when we use those other players (such as Kam and Kawamura), it's to get them playing time," Shoji said. "What we learned from tonight is if you don't pass well, you're going to get beat."
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Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Sept 6, 2012 15:39:11 GMT -5
Wahine might shuffle lineup
By Cindy LuisEmily Hartong might switch to right-side hitter as the Wahine look to add firepower to their lineup The match was winnable. The problems are fixable. And the attitude is changeable. Sunday's first loss of the season to then-No. 25 California did not create a sense of panic for the Hawaii women's volleyball team, which opened a new week of practice with a new ranking of No. 9. The drop of three spots in the AVCA coaches poll was no more of a concern than heading into the Verizon Challenge at 5-1. But that doesn't mean that static is the status quo. When San Diego State faces Hawaii on Friday the Aztecs could be facing a tweaked Rainbow Wahine lineup, one that would have junior Emily Hartong making another position move, this from left-side to right-side hitter. There's also the chance of a move Wahine coach Dave Shoji would rather not make. That of activating true freshman hitter Tai Manu-Olevao, thus burning her redshirt year in the third week of the season. "We're still talking about it and she has a good attitude about it either way," Shoji said of the 6-foot three-time All-State selection out of Punahou. "She could be our best athlete as a hitter. "I think Hartong would be an outstanding right, but we need to have that production on the left. I thought Ashley (junior transfer Kastl) played well Sunday, had nine kills, which is the most we've gotten out of the right this year. We're still evaluating that position." Shoji described Tuesday morning's practice as the best of the season. The loss was a wake-up call, junior setter Mita Uiato said. "We had a little pep talk before practice this morning and we're refocused," she said. "We're not letting anyone back off in practice; everyone has to put in 110 percent every day. "It wasn't cockiness last week. We just let ourselves down by letting up. We didn't peak (in the tournament) like we did the previous weekend (when beating then-No. 6 Stanford). We could have beaten Cal, but we didn't. We will remember that, but we also need to let it go." Still, the match-ending play will haunt Hawaii awhile. What looked to be an ace serve by Wahine libero Ali Longo was somehow returned by the Golden Bears, just over the tape, just inside of the antenna, just inside the court in front of Kastl. Instead of it being 14-13, it was a crowd-silencing 15-12 stunner by Cal. "That play did not kill the match for us, but it definitely summed it up," Longo said. "They got the ball up; they had a lot of ‘ups' that made you ask, ‘How did they do that?' "Cal played better against us than they had all weekend. We made a lot of mistakes, and we're working on those. We could have been more solid with our passing so that Mita can run our middles when we need and not have to rely on Hartong and Jane (sophomore hitter Croson) with all those high balls out there." The Verizon Challenge is the last of Hawaii's nonconference tournaments, with the field maybe the best of the three. San Diego State (5-0), coached by former Wahine All-American Deitre Collins-Parker, is off to its best start since 2001; former WAC foe Idaho is 2-5, but three of those losses were in five sets; and then there's defending national champion and third-ranked UCLA (3-1), coached by former UH associate coach Mike Sealy. The series with the Bruins began in 1974, the first year of the Wahine program. The teams have played every year since, with Hawaii leading 36-33; UCLA won last season in four, handing the Wahine their first loss in six matches. Many of the Hawaii players who were recruited by Sealy have that memory. Longo has another: She was Penn State's libero last December when UCLA eliminated the four-time defending champions in the regional semifinals in three sets. "That was a bitter loss," said Longo, who had 10 digs against the Bruins. "They played well at the end of the season, really turned it on at the end."*
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Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Sept 6, 2012 15:39:30 GMT -5
There's no place like home
Deitre Collins-Parker will be coaching on the opposing sideline this weekend, but she'll always be one of the Wahine
By Ann MillerCOURTESY OF SAN DIEGO STATE SPORTS INFORMATION Deitre Collins-Parker has the Aztecs undefeated in five matches. For all the reasons Deitre Collins-Parker had to like Emily Hartong this summer when she coached her on the United States A2 team — athleticism, coachability, that great grin — it was one moment off the court that Collins most remembers. Hartong, Hawaii's second-team All-American, came up to Collins, a three-time All-American who led the Rainbow Wahine to NCAA championships in 1982 and '83, and simply said "I want to introduce myself." Hartong knew who Collins was and the part she played in creating a volleyball program unlike any other in college. In a matter of moments, Hartong let Collins know how much she appreciates what she has. "I am so partial to how the Hawaii girls act," said Collins, whose San Diego State team meets Hawaii on Friday's opening night of the Verizon Volleyball Challenge. "I want to tell them you are so lucky. The Hawaii people are so amazing and they will love you forever. You need to appreciate that." When she coached at Cornell before coming to SDSU 31⁄2 years ago — Collins signed a three-year contract extension in April — a group from Hawaii came to Harvard to cheer her on. "It dumbfounds me that 32 years later people still care," Collins said. "That's the part that is so awesome to come back to. It's so awesome to come back with my husband and show him what I'm talking about. That's the part I absolutely love and will always love." It is not easy to forget Collins. As a senior, she became the first volleyball player to win the Broderick Cup, given to the finest female collegiate athlete. She was a starting middle blocker at the 1988 Olympics and is now in the AVCA Hall of Fame. After a series of one-year assistant stints at three schools, she became UNLV's head coach, then headed to Cornell, where her teams won three Ivy League titles. Her SDSU team was 18-10 last year and second in the Mountain West, its best finish in a decade. The Aztecs have won their first five this season and are receiving votes in the poll. They will join Hawaii in the Big West next year. Collins will be back on a regular basis. She is ecstatic, despite the fact she has never won here as a coach. "I have really sucked in that area," she admitted. "What makes this trip so exciting is, honestly, I finally believe we have people who won't be just so lost in the atmosphere in Hawaii." She has ammunition. The Wahine are coming off their first loss, dropping to ninth in the rankings after falling to Cal on Sunday. And, transfer Michelle Waber is now SDSU's big gun, earning MVP honors at the Aztecs' first two tournaments. Waber started every match for Hawaii in 2010, but moved home last year to be closer to her ailing father. Even Collins did not see Waber and her four-kills-a-set coming. "Michelle is not a good practice player," Collins said. "Then in a game … it's like I have never seen that play. I want to pull my hair out in practice, but she's a gamer. She was so crucial in our win over Cal. "When the game is on the line I trust Michelle." Arizona setter Chloe Mathis also transferred in. The transfers have given Collins' junior-dominated team a new no-fear outlook, to say nothing of competitive practices. "I'm not walking in with a whole group of people who have not been here before," she said. "And, the goals are just different. No matter how bad Hawaii played Sunday, it was such great news for us in that there is hope here. They are not perfect. "I'm just asking them to play hard and whatever happens, happens. Then do it the next night and the night after that." * VERIZON VOLLEYBALL CHALLENGE At Stan Sheriff Center FRIDAY >> No. 3 UCLA (3-1) vs. Idaho (2-5), 5 p.m. >> No. 9 Hawaii (5-1) vs. San Diego State (5-0), 7 p.m. SATURDAY >> UCLA vs. San Diego State, 5 p.m. " >> Hawaii vs. Idaho, 7 p.m. SUNDAY >> San Diego State vs. Idaho, 3 p.m. >> Hawaii vs. UCLA, 5 p.m. >> TV: OC Sports (Ch. 16) >> Radio: KKEA 1420-AM
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Post by Courtside5 on Sept 6, 2012 22:38:34 GMT -5
It wil be weird to see Waber on the opposite side banging away against our girls. I was rooting for her when she played for the Wahine and now I gotta root against her. LOL! Strange how things are sometimes. Love Waber but I love my Wahine more.
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Post by ACE on Sept 7, 2012 1:59:15 GMT -5
i hope the crowd gives Collins-Parker and Waber a nice warm welcome.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2012 2:27:36 GMT -5
Your a long way from the islands FC. Are you a transplant? No, I live in Hawaii. Its all part of this silly marvel superhero character thing I thought would be funny because the Punisher's real name is Frank Castle and he lives in New York. I figured since people use aliases and nicknames on forums I'd pick a fictional character. I played high school volleyball but haven't really followed volleyball in years until I started watching the wahine on OC 16 last year and now I'm an addict.
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Post by Courtside5 on Sept 7, 2012 5:37:48 GMT -5
Your a long way from the islands FC. Are you a transplant? No, I live in Hawaii. Its all part of this silly marvel superhero character thing I thought would be funny because the Punisher's real name is Frank Castle and he lives in New York. I figured since people use aliases and nicknames on forums I'd pick a fictional character. I played high school volleyball but haven't really followed volleyball in years until I started watching the wahine on OC 16 last year and now I'm an addict. I see. I thought maybe you were referring to the new police drama series on Fox. The show "Castle" ;D
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Sept 7, 2012 11:45:44 GMT -5
Seeking the real WahineBy Ann Miller, The Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Sep 07, 2012 FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARADVERTISER.COM Emily Hartong and the Rainbow Wahine are looking to bounce back from their loss to Cal on Sunday.FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARADVERTISER.COM UH's Jade Vorster was an all-tournament selection in last weekend's Wahine Volleyball Classic. Beyond San Diego State, Idaho and third-ranked UCLA, the real challenge in this weekend's 18th annual Verizon Volleyball Challenge will be to unmask the Rainbow Wahine. Is ninth-ranked Hawaii the team that took sixth-ranked Stanford apart two weeks ago and was practically perfect against Baylor on Saturday? Or is it the dazed and confused bunch that bumbled its way through a five-set loss Sunday against a Cal team that has played so poorly it is now out of the rankings for the first time in nine years? The preseason concludes at Stan Sheriff Center, with the Wahine (5-1) hoping for more answers than questions, to say nothing of some solid passing and consistency. They open tonight against the unbeaten Aztecs, a team that is as upbeat and giddy as Hawaii was when it was 5-0 — before its breakdown against the Golden Bears. Prior the Hawaii's practice at 6 a.m. Tuesday, UH's "Emily" co-captains — Hartong and Maeda — pulled the players together. "It just kind of happened," said Maeda, the team's only senior. "We rounded up everyone and said we've got to work hard this week in practice. We have to come back with a lot of energy. It's in the practice gym where it all starts." The level of energy and effort has changed this week, but that was also true last week in a different way. Hawaii had no sense of urgency, Maeda said, and could not find its focus. "Our team understands that we can be good," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "It also understands we are not so good that we can play without emotion. We've got to be fired up, got to be really into the match." His team was not in a ragged win over San Francisco last Friday. But the next night the Wahine blew by Baylor, getting nearly twice as many kills and out-hitting the stunned Bears .372-.089. Against Cal, which had lost to Baylor and USF, Hawaii's .324 hitting percentage was cut nearly in half. Passes flew everywhere, forcing it to rely almost solely on outside hitters Jane Croson and Hartong, and Croson had the worst match of her college career. "Cal exposed our passing and from there …," Maeda said, shrugging. "The passing, it wasn't horrible, but it's not what we know we can do. If that goes down we're pretty dependent on our outside hitters. We're really talented if our passing is good and we can run the middles and spread the offense." Even with a predictably bad attack, UH had chances to win against Cal. But it managed just three aces and barely out-dug a team that was dramatically taller and made 16 service errors. Finally, the Wahine couldn't stop Cal sophomore Christina Higgins. She couldn't find the court the first four matches of the season, but buried Hawaii with five straight kills in the fifth set. UCLA is taller than the Golden Bears, a team SDSU beat opening week. And the Wahine, who have just two starters back at the same position, are still searching for the right mix. For now, freshman Tai Manu-Olevao will not be part of it. Shoji still plans to redshirt her and hopes to get more production out of Kaela Goodman and transfer Ashley Kastl on the right … or wherever. Defensive specialists Sarah Mendoza, Katie Spieler and Katiana Ponce will also redshirt. The coach has confidence his team is the group that sank Stanford, not the group that showed up against Cal. "We're not a great passing team, but if we pass OK then I think we're very hard to beat — when we get more than one or two options," he says. "We've got a lot of players who can put the ball down." Maeda insists the Wahine will work through this. "Our fans aren't going to suffer," the senior said. "We're going to grind it out." A look at the teams: No. 9 Hawaii (5-1)Won its ninth Wahine Volleyball Classic last weekend, despite falling to now-unranked Cal on final night … Emily Hartong (6-2 Jr. OH) named most outstanding player at first two tournaments, averaging 4.45 kps and hitting .307 … Jade Vorster (6-4 Fr. MB), hitting .438, and setter Mita Uiato (5-8 Jr.) were also all-tournament selections … Hartong and Jane Croson (5-11 So. OH) have combined for 55 percent of Hawaii's kills and 60 percent of its swings, with Croson averaging 3.86 kills … Won 15 of the first 17 Challenges and 47 of 49 matches, with a 15-match winning streak coming in. San Diego State (5-0)Three-time Hawaii All-American Deitre Collins-Parker is in her fourth year as coach and took Aztecs to a second-place Mountain West finish last season, its best since 2002 … SDSU, which joins Big West next year, upset Cal opening week and is receiving votes in the poll after its best start in 11 years … former Wahine Michelle Waber (6-3 So. OH) was MVP of both tournaments Aztecs won to open the season … Waber played in every match for Hawaii in 2010, earningWAC All-Freshman honors and averaging 2 kills while hitting .193 … Waber now averaging 3.82 kps and hitting .282 on a team with a hitting percentage of .317 … Emily Harris (6-1 Jr. MB) was also all-tournament last weekend after hitting .417 and collecting 1.50 blocks per set … all-conference middle Andrea Hannasch (6-2 Sr.) leads the Mountain West with .521 hitting and is averaging 3.22 kills and 1.28 blocks … 3-37 against Hawaii, losing last 21. No. 3 UCLA (3-1)Mike Sealy, Hawaii's associate coach from 2006-09, guided the Bruins to their seventh national title last year and was national Coach of the Year … staff includes former Wahine Cayley Thurlby (Director of Operations) and Punahou graduate Stein Metzger (volunteer assistant) … Bruins lead the Pac-12 in blocking (3.28) … All-American Rachael Kidder (6-3 Sr. OH) and Tabi Love (6-5 St. OH) are both averaging nearly 3.5 kps … Karsta Lowe (6-4 So. OH) had career highs in kills and digs in UCLA's win over UC Santa Barbara Saturday despite not starting, and averaged 3.71 kills, 2.71 digs, 1.29 blocks and hit .440 in an all-tournament performance … Punahou graduate Rachel Inouye (5-6 Fr.) is one of four defensive specialists on roster, but has not played … without those DS's, UCLA's average height is 6-2 … only loss came in five sets against No. 4 Nebraska at Lincoln … 33-36 against Hawaii. Idaho (2-5)All-WAC hitter Allison (Walker) Baker (6-1 Jr.) has double-doubles in all seven matches and is averaging 4.75 kps — with a career-high 28 in a win over Washington State — and 3.09 digs … Baker, who has taken 36 percent of Idaho's swings, and Alyssa Schultz (6-3 So. MB), averaging 1.22 blocks and 2.50 kills, were all-tournament selections opening week … Janelle Chow (5-8 Sr. DS) leads WAC in digs (4.75) … picked to finish second in WAC … lost in five sets to Big West teams Pacific, Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara, and lost in four to Cal State Northridge … Debbie Buchanan was 2011 WAC Coach of Year after guiding Vandals to a T2 finish, best in history … 0-18 against Hawaii going into first nonconference match. NotesRainbow Wahine Volleyball is hosting an alumnae dinner open to the public to raise funds for the program. The dinner is Thursday at the Stan Sheriff Center. Cost is $95, for food and drink (beer, wine and soft drinks) from 3660 On The Rise, Big City Diner, Hiroshi Eurasian Tapas, Hukilau, Le Bistro, Roy's, Superb Sushi and Tango Cafe. Alumnae who have confirmed attendance include Olympians Robyn Ah Mow-Santos and Heather Bown, Tita Ahuna, Mahina Eleneki, Aneli Cubi-Otineru, Victoria Prince and Kanani Danielson. For more information, call 956-6229.
VERIZON VOLLEYBALL CHALLENGEAt the Stan Sheriff Center Today » No. 3 UCLA vs. Idaho, 5 p.m. » No. 9 Hawaii vs. San Diego State, 7 p.m. » TV: OC Sports, Ch. 16 (both games) » Radio: 1420-AM (UH game only)
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Sept 8, 2012 14:50:01 GMT -5
UH rediscovers itselfBy Ann Miller, The Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Sep 08, 2012 LAST UPDATED: 01:50 a.m. HST, Sep 08, 2012 CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii's Jane Croson tried to hit past San Diego State's Summer Nash, left, and Emily Harris on Friday night at the Stan Sheriff Center.CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM No. 9 Hawaii's Emily Hartong hit through San Diego State's defense on Friday night at the Stan Sheriff Center for one of her nine kills against the Aztecs. The Wahine rallied after a first-set loss to win the match.Hawaii transformed itself back into the country's ninth-ranked volleyball team to shake off San Diego State in the 18th annual Verizon Challenge on Friday. The Rainbow Wahine (6-1) began as badly as they ended in Sunday's loss against Cal, but battled back for a 22-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-15 win. They got 21 kills from Jane Croson in a comeback of major proportions. But, on a rare bad night from Emily Hartong in front of the service line, it might have been the supporting cast that salvaged this one in front of 4,994 at Stan Sheriff Center. Middles Jade Vorster and Kalei Adolpho rediscovered Hawaii's block, as did Kaela Goodman, and all three contributed enough offense to keep the Aztecs guessing after a sloppy UH start. San Diego State (5-1) suffered its first loss. It upset Cal opening weekend and received votes in this week's poll. Hawaii saw why in the opening set. It took the Aztecs 20 minutes to get their first lead, but they made it stand up in a 12-5 surge to win the opening set. Hawaii never touched Summer Nash, who buried nearly half SDSU's kills with an error-free 7-for-11 start. "She was just hitting high the whole time," Goodman said. "She was going after it, really going after it. That was frustrating for all of us." UH coach Dave Shoji brought in Goodman on the right in Set 2 and replaced Vorster — ineffective for the second straight match — with sophomore transfer Stephanie Hagins after the Aztecs scored the first five points. Kristiana Tuaniga was in for Adolpho a bit later. It wasn't pretty, but the Wahine began to dig more balls and touch more on the block — and dig in. SDSU had to take the first timeout when a 5-1 Hawaii run cut its deficit to 10-9. There would be six ties from there, but the Wahine won by scoring seven of the last 10, with Hartong burying three kills. "Cal was in the back of everybody's mind," Goodman said. "We can't have a repeat. We can't let it happen again. Now we have to change it." Shoji brought his starting middles back in Set 3, worried about hurting their confidence. After falling behind 7-1, Hawaii began to roll. Vorster and Adolpho, first-year starters, were again a force in the middle, and the UH block began to touch almost everything. Behind them, Ali Longo (22 digs), Mita Uiato and Emily Maeda dug what was left. "They did what Hawaii does," said former Hawaii All-American Deitre Collins-Parker, the Aztecs' fourth-year coach. "They dug balls and they blocked balls. "It was a huge learning experience for us in that, if you open the door for a good team, they go through it. We have to learn from this. I think it was great for our program to have this match and to play as well as we did early and realize we're not that far behind." Uiato — and profoundly better passing — found the middles for seven kills, and they were in on three of the four UH stuffs in the third. Goodman added two kills and two block assists as the Aztecs' hitting percentage dropped to .098 — nearly 300 points below the opening set. They would drop to .028 in Set 4, when Hawaii dispensed with the slow start and scored the first five points. It was up 15-6 at the technical timeout. A late run behind Nash wouldn't be enough. She would also finish with 21 kills, but from Set 2 until those final moments, Hawaii stuffed her into .086 hitting. Former Wahine Michelle Waber, MVP at the Aztecs' first two tournaments, managed just five kills and hit .095. The Aztecs, who join Hawaii in the Big West next year, play third-ranked UCLA in tonight's opener. The Wahine, who have now won 22 straight against SDSU, take on Idaho, a team that has never beaten them. No. 3 UCLA 3, Idaho 0The Bruins (4-1) rode the arms of senior hitters Tabi Love and Rachel Kidder in the 73-minute, 25-16, 25-13, 25-13 sweep of the Vandals. Love had 11 kills with one error in 16 swings, and Kidder, the MVP of last year's national championship match, added 10. UCLA hit .525, with six aces, three by junior hitter Kelly Reeves, and out-dug Idaho 33-17. Allison Walker Baker led the Vandals (2-6) with 10 kills.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Sept 8, 2012 14:52:56 GMT -5
i would say that the headline of the article and the first paragraph over-reaches a little ... sure, hawaii played better at the end of the match ... but it wasn't exactly smooth play.
but i have to keep reminding myself this is still a young team with a lot of new starters. inconsistent play is expected. it's frustrating, but the hope is that they even out over the course of the season.
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