2013 UH Wahine Thread

[internationalball]

I think Tai would be the player to watch this upcoming season!

Nikki Taylor will be great for sure!

[cardcounter]

IMO Koelsch was the best setter in the gym at last weekend's SCVA regional finals. I don't know why she hasn't gotten more publicity. I would guess she has a scholarship to play sand at Hawaii because I know she had many indoor scholarship offers from other schools. So she would become a scholarship counter for Hawaii on the indoor team if she played indoors.

The word I got is she likes indoors as much as sand but doesn't want to compete against her good friend Kyra Goodman. I get the feeling Koelsch might decide to play indoors her sophomore year and very likely will play the last two years. If she does, Koelsch will be a pleasant surprise for Hawaii fans.

[geddyleeridesagain]

Jun 2, 2013 8:17:08 GMT -5 cardcounter said:

IMO Koelsch was the best setter in the gym at last weekend's SCVA regional finals. I don't know why she hasn't gotten more publicity. I would guess she has a scholarship to play sand at Hawaii because I know she had many indoor scholarship offers from other schools. So she would become a scholarship counter for Hawaii on the indoor team if she played indoors.

The word I got is she likes indoors as much as sand but doesn't want to compete against her good friend Kyra Goodman. I get the feeling Koelsch might decide to play indoors her sophomore year and very likely will play the last two years. If she does, Koelsch will be a pleasant surprise for Hawaii fans.

If she enters Hawai'i on a sand scholarship, she wouldn't be eligible to play indoor until her junior year. And if a kid wants to play indoor, but doesn't want to compete against a buddy at the same school, then why go to that school in the first place - particularly if she has multiple offers from other schools. Koelsch isn't really considered a big-time beach player in SoCal, either - not like a Sara Hughes or Kelly Claes. This just seems a little odd any way you look at it - although there's probably a very reasonable explanation I'm just not aware of (there usually is).

[brooselee]

If Kendra doesn't want to compete against Kyra at setter then why not join the team and compete for the OPP spot? The lost of Jane opens a spot on the outside. If Kendra wants to set then she need to be worrying about beating out Tayler and not worry about Kyra.

[hawaiivolleyball1]

So true! She doesn't need to compete against anyone for the setting position because Tayler Higgins is gonna be the main setter for UH in the future. (Currently its Mita Uiato but once she leaves it is all her! She is Mita Uiato's backup next year though!) And Kyra Goodman will be Tayler Higgin's backup.

Kendra should just join the team and compete for the RIGHT SIDE HITTER POSITION! (OPP) since Jane Croson transferred we need more hitters to compete for the OH and OPP positions! We are solid in the setting position....we are pretty solid with all of our hitting positions but it would be even better if she joined so it would make it even more competitive and we would have more great hitters on the team!

GO UH!

[hawaiivolleyball1]

I am wondering why you put Kristiana Tuaniga as (Opp) Do you really think she will play Opp? She never played that position in college and she rarely played middle too! She didn't really play much (college career) I believe Nikki Taylor will find her way to a starting position whether its in the Middle, Outside, or Opposite.

People who have the most chances of starting in each position:

Setter:
Mita Uiato
Tayler Higgins (May be starter...she is that good!) (But she will definitely make a great back up setter even if she doesn't start!) (She will be useful when Dave Shoji decides to do the double sub...to have 3 hitters in the front row instead of 2)

Outsides/Opposites: (most chances of starting)
Emily Hartong
Nikki Taylor
Tai Manu Olevao

Middles:
Jade Vorster
Kalei Adolpho
Nikki Taylor (MAYBE)
Any other good transfers....

Libero:
Aly Longo

[hawaiivolleyball1]

I think both Ashley Kastl and Kaela Goodman will be useful when Dave Shoji does the double sub to have 3 hitters in the front row....thats when Taylor Higgins will come in to set

[Wiz]

With the way Tai is playing, she is a starter in my mind. Probably, the most improved player on the team.

[ACE]

Jun 14, 2013 19:54:53 GMT -5 Wiz said:

With the way Tai is playing, she is a starter in my mind. Probably, the most improved player on the team.

I hope so. It'll be great to have another local girl shine!

[brooselee]

I'm willing to be the house, the barn, the neighbor's barn and the neighbor's dog that Kristiana will NOT move to the OPP. First of all, she is not a ballhandler/digger. You want your OPP to at least be able to dig balls once in a while and at least be mobile enough to run down errand passes and stuff. I don't think she have either skills.

Kristiana is/was also injury prone(shin/ankle injury has plagued her) in her career. I doubt she have any kind of explosivenness in her jump an OPP need to have to attack the ball. As a MB, you can get away without explosiveness by being smart and quick.

Finally, we currently only have 2 MBs(Vorster and Adolpho). If Dave was to move Kristiana to OPP, there will be NO depth at MB. If either Jade or Kalei was to get hurt or struggle,then you have no one else to put out there and without a decent backup....UH will be screwed.

Nikki Taylor may get some reps there but she really doesn't look like she is ready for playing time there. She need to learn soooo much that I doubt she will even play there. Its going to mess up her arm swing and her footwork for the next year when we lose Goodman, Kastl and Hartong.

I think the more reasonable prediction is to work out Nikki at OPP and keep Kristiana at MB. Kind of wacked out to being putting two players in unfamiliar positions when the smart thing to do is to keep both where they are comfortable.

[brooselee]

Hey braddah....Of course I did and I still don't like the idea of moving Tuaniga to OPP.

You think moving someone who never played that position into a spot where she will only have a couple of months to "master" and you expect her to master it? I don't think she is that great an athlete that she can master the OPP position that fast.

Secondly, running the back quick requires precision passing. When you lose Emily Maeda and Jane Croson(two of our primary passers), you're not going to get many perfect passes this coming season.

Thirdly, if Dave wants to run more back quicks or short sets, then why not put Emily Hartong at that spot? Dave have mentioned that as a possibility after last season was over. She play MB before so I'm sure she have the ability to adjust to quick sets when the passing is precise and also able to hit the high ball when the pass is a little off.

Lastly, why would you want to "limit" your offensive potential? Wtih Kristiana in, the opponents can just ignore Tuaniga if the pass is off the net. You're just not doing the team any favors by putting someone so one dimensional in just so you can to run a few back quicks. I thinks its a smarter move to teach an OH/OPP the proper techniques to running a back quick then to convert someone from MB to OPP with the hope of running a few back quicks.

Glad you aint coaching our team brah....you think UH have the athletes to run a LBSU/asian style offense? Instead of just dreaming of an offense, I thinks its better you identify what we have on the roster and work with it. We not close to having the horses like LBSU had at that time nor the extensive knowledge how to run it effectively like the Asians.

[brooselee]

I guess Tai Manu Olevao is going to make AA also as she was also invited to the A2 team as a true sophomore. I would rather Tai learn to play the OPP since she will have the national level experience.

Looky here...you may know Tuaniga and her background and who she trained with and stuff but the fact that she never played major minutes and was constantly injured, you have to take into consideration that her skill sets have either diminished to a point where Dave is not comfortable with her on the court or she is just not that good.

BTW....I'm still setting and BTW2....Ashley Kastl will start more than Kristiana. Kaela...never was high on her. :-)

[hana808]

Some of you people make no dammm sense!!! seiously!!! 2013 Starting Lineup will be like this I gurantee, plus it makes sense!!

Setter- Mita Uiato- Its her senior season, the past two years shes done great!, She was an all american this year, and on the A2 TEAM.

Libero- Ali longo

MB- Jade Vorster
MB-Kalei Adolpho

OH- Emily Hartong-ALL AMERICAN
OH- Ashley Kastl- Had a great spring season, and working hard this off season.
OH-Tai Manu-ole Vao- A2 TEAM

[vballfreak808]

Hawaii is in the Wichita State tournament with Creighton and South Dakota

[internationalball]

Jun 18, 2013 18:53:38 GMT -5 hana808 said:

Some of you people make no dammm sense!!! seiously!!! 2013 Starting Lineup will be like this I gurantee, plus it makes sense!!

Setter- Mita Uiato- Its her senior season, the past two years shes done great!, She was an all american this year, and on the A2 TEAM.

Libero- Ali longo

MB- Jade Vorster
MB-Kalei Adolpho

OH- Emily Hartong-ALL AMERICAN
OH- Ashley Kastl- Had a great spring season, and working hard this off season.
OH-Tai Manu-ole Vao- A2 TEAM

Nothing is a guarantee. Although I agree with you, I think some of the incoming recruits and players will definitely push for playing time.