Post by 808 on Aug 29, 2004 11:28:14 GMT -5
the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Aug/29/sp/sp04a.html
Who will step up for Rainbow Wahine?
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
Sets sail to the floor untouched, and players swerve into each other during sprints. Familiarity is a foreign concept for the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine, who open their volleyball season Thursday against Eastern Washington.
Trying to replace seven all-conference seniors from a final-four team will do that. Realistically, the Rainbows' No. 13 preseason ranking is based on tradition and the graceful gifts of setter Kanoe Kamana'o, the 2003 national freshman of the year.
Counting last year's redshirts, there are 11 new faces on the roster. Kamana'o will set, with Cayley Thurlby an ultra-capable backup. Beyond that, positions are up for grabs, and anyone who isn't playing could be on the next serve. The days of dominant All-Americans are over for now.
"Everyone has to pull their own weight," Thurlby says. "If one person isn't performing, it's really preventing the whole team from performing, because we all rely on each other."
Here is coach Dave Shoji's depth chart for the 2004 Rainbow Wahine (jersey numbers in parentheses), and each player's best attributes, in the opinion of Shoji and his setters — who have the green light to set anyone standing:
Middle Blocker
Juliana Sanders (1)
6-2 Freshman
Kane'ohe (Castle)
Developed into team's "most dynamic" middle blocker ... good jump and quickness, ability to hit every set ... setters like her because she's aggressive, begs for the ball, and has ability to transform poor connections into unorthodox kills.
Melody Eckmier (8)
6-3 Senior
Simi Valley, Calif.
Best blocker, with good hand position and ability to go on stuff streaks, particularly against slow offenses ... most mature and analytical player ... improved quickness, including quicker armswing ... team captain.
Victoria Prince (16)
(third on middle blocker depth chart; see Right Side)
Kari Gregory (4)
6-3 Freshman
Las Vegas, Nev.
Massive improvement after making transition from outside to middle ... imposing size and strength ... setters say her block can be "huge," and like her ability to fight back after mistakes.
Nickie Thomas (9)
6-3 Freshman
Austin, Texas
Prototype middle with lanky body and ability to hit well off one foot ... working on ability to put game into fast-forward.
Left Side
Susie Boogaard (2)
6-2 Junior
Bellflower, Calif.
Might need to take largest leap this year as primary hitter and passer ... Shoji calls her his "most improved player" because of additional quickness and strength ... hits a "heavy," hard ball with control ... setters call her the passer whom servers will most want to avoid.
Alicia Arnott (7)
6-0 Sophomore
Honolulu (La Pietra)
Shoji hopes Arnott soaked up hitting knowledge from All-Americans Kim Willoughby and Lily Kahumoku last year ... known for "live" arm and "major heat," when she contacts ball at highest point ... setters say she sees block well and is deceptively quick, enabling her to finesse shots offensively and pick up deep shots defensively.
Tara Hittle (3)
6-0 Freshman
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Setters call her "our fireball" because of her energy and "hunger" for the game ... A "pest" with quickness and innate ability to be around the ball and always make things happen — mostly good ... hits ball high and with sharp angles, hard to read.
Caroline Blood (5)
6-0 Freshman
Long Beach, Calif.
Came to Manoa as softball pitcher yet has surprising knack for game and good instincts ... athletic, strong and "definitely has the (hitting) arm from pitching," according to Kamana'o.
Jessica Keefe (6)
6-0 Freshman
Ames, Iowa
Suffered knee injury in March and just cleared to practice fulltime ... good size and fluid armswing with exceptional wrist snap ... when healthy, can touch 10 feet.
Right Side
Victoria Prince (16)
6-0 Junior
Kennewick, Wash. (WSU)
Most offensive-minded player on right side or in middle ... experienced and exceptionally aggressive — "She attacks all the time," Shoji says. "She doesn't know how to do anything but hit hard" ... sixth in Pac-10 blocking her final year at Washington State, and all-East Regional ... reminds Kamana'o of Lauren Duggins with her ability to get a touch on every block ... team's best server.
Teisa Fotu (12)
6-0 Senior
Lai'e (Kahuku, E. Arizona, HPU)
Shoji calls her team's "most well-rounded player" with dependable blocking, passing and hitting skills ... all-conference honors first three years of college ... played club with former 'Bow Nohea Tano, and fills same role as quick hitter and solid blocker.
Also: Hittle (third on depth chart) and Eckmier (fourth)
Libero/Def. Specialist
Ashley Watanabe (11)
5-6 Junior
'Aiea ('Aiea)
Former walk-on earned libero position by "distancing herself from every other back-row person through sheer hard work," according to Shoji ... team's best passer, along with Boogaard ... ability to make spectacular defensive plays.
Raeceen Woolford (15)
5-7 Freshman
Pearl City (Iolani)
Physical skills, including team-best 35-inch vertical jump, have pulled her ahead of all defenders but Watanabe ... explosive jumping ability translates into good quickness and ability to cover lots of court ... has become solid passer.
Kahea Silva (17)
5-3 Sophomore
Hilo (Hilo HS, UH-Hilo)
Led Pac-West in digs last year ... might be quickest Rainbow ... "bullet serve" tough to handle — and see — from her low trajectory ... Shoji compares her to former 'Bow Naomi Higa.
Kelly Ong (14)
5-5 Freshman
Oakland, Calif.
Walk-on with solid volleyball background and good defensive and setting skills ... setters like her energy.
Also: Blood (third on depth chart)
Setter
Kanoe Kamana'o (10)
5-8 Sophomore
Honolulu (Iolani)
Exceptional decision-making ability enhances hitters' skills ... tough to anticipate because she is comfortable with every set ... tough to read because she is fast and disciplined, squares up and jumps on every set.
Cayley Thurlby (13)
5-10 Sophomore
Naperville, Ill.
Shoji looking for ways to get her on the floor because she is "a tireless worker" with good setting skills and "decent" hitting skills ... comfortable as leader and fluid setter with lots of finesse ... "I think she'd start for a lot of other teams," Shoji says, "but I don't want her thinking about that."
Who will step up for Rainbow Wahine?
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
Sets sail to the floor untouched, and players swerve into each other during sprints. Familiarity is a foreign concept for the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine, who open their volleyball season Thursday against Eastern Washington.
Trying to replace seven all-conference seniors from a final-four team will do that. Realistically, the Rainbows' No. 13 preseason ranking is based on tradition and the graceful gifts of setter Kanoe Kamana'o, the 2003 national freshman of the year.
Counting last year's redshirts, there are 11 new faces on the roster. Kamana'o will set, with Cayley Thurlby an ultra-capable backup. Beyond that, positions are up for grabs, and anyone who isn't playing could be on the next serve. The days of dominant All-Americans are over for now.
"Everyone has to pull their own weight," Thurlby says. "If one person isn't performing, it's really preventing the whole team from performing, because we all rely on each other."
Here is coach Dave Shoji's depth chart for the 2004 Rainbow Wahine (jersey numbers in parentheses), and each player's best attributes, in the opinion of Shoji and his setters — who have the green light to set anyone standing:
Middle Blocker
Juliana Sanders (1)
6-2 Freshman
Kane'ohe (Castle)
Developed into team's "most dynamic" middle blocker ... good jump and quickness, ability to hit every set ... setters like her because she's aggressive, begs for the ball, and has ability to transform poor connections into unorthodox kills.
Melody Eckmier (8)
6-3 Senior
Simi Valley, Calif.
Best blocker, with good hand position and ability to go on stuff streaks, particularly against slow offenses ... most mature and analytical player ... improved quickness, including quicker armswing ... team captain.
Victoria Prince (16)
(third on middle blocker depth chart; see Right Side)
Kari Gregory (4)
6-3 Freshman
Las Vegas, Nev.
Massive improvement after making transition from outside to middle ... imposing size and strength ... setters say her block can be "huge," and like her ability to fight back after mistakes.
Nickie Thomas (9)
6-3 Freshman
Austin, Texas
Prototype middle with lanky body and ability to hit well off one foot ... working on ability to put game into fast-forward.
Left Side
Susie Boogaard (2)
6-2 Junior
Bellflower, Calif.
Might need to take largest leap this year as primary hitter and passer ... Shoji calls her his "most improved player" because of additional quickness and strength ... hits a "heavy," hard ball with control ... setters call her the passer whom servers will most want to avoid.
Alicia Arnott (7)
6-0 Sophomore
Honolulu (La Pietra)
Shoji hopes Arnott soaked up hitting knowledge from All-Americans Kim Willoughby and Lily Kahumoku last year ... known for "live" arm and "major heat," when she contacts ball at highest point ... setters say she sees block well and is deceptively quick, enabling her to finesse shots offensively and pick up deep shots defensively.
Tara Hittle (3)
6-0 Freshman
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Setters call her "our fireball" because of her energy and "hunger" for the game ... A "pest" with quickness and innate ability to be around the ball and always make things happen — mostly good ... hits ball high and with sharp angles, hard to read.
Caroline Blood (5)
6-0 Freshman
Long Beach, Calif.
Came to Manoa as softball pitcher yet has surprising knack for game and good instincts ... athletic, strong and "definitely has the (hitting) arm from pitching," according to Kamana'o.
Jessica Keefe (6)
6-0 Freshman
Ames, Iowa
Suffered knee injury in March and just cleared to practice fulltime ... good size and fluid armswing with exceptional wrist snap ... when healthy, can touch 10 feet.
Right Side
Victoria Prince (16)
6-0 Junior
Kennewick, Wash. (WSU)
Most offensive-minded player on right side or in middle ... experienced and exceptionally aggressive — "She attacks all the time," Shoji says. "She doesn't know how to do anything but hit hard" ... sixth in Pac-10 blocking her final year at Washington State, and all-East Regional ... reminds Kamana'o of Lauren Duggins with her ability to get a touch on every block ... team's best server.
Teisa Fotu (12)
6-0 Senior
Lai'e (Kahuku, E. Arizona, HPU)
Shoji calls her team's "most well-rounded player" with dependable blocking, passing and hitting skills ... all-conference honors first three years of college ... played club with former 'Bow Nohea Tano, and fills same role as quick hitter and solid blocker.
Also: Hittle (third on depth chart) and Eckmier (fourth)
Libero/Def. Specialist
Ashley Watanabe (11)
5-6 Junior
'Aiea ('Aiea)
Former walk-on earned libero position by "distancing herself from every other back-row person through sheer hard work," according to Shoji ... team's best passer, along with Boogaard ... ability to make spectacular defensive plays.
Raeceen Woolford (15)
5-7 Freshman
Pearl City (Iolani)
Physical skills, including team-best 35-inch vertical jump, have pulled her ahead of all defenders but Watanabe ... explosive jumping ability translates into good quickness and ability to cover lots of court ... has become solid passer.
Kahea Silva (17)
5-3 Sophomore
Hilo (Hilo HS, UH-Hilo)
Led Pac-West in digs last year ... might be quickest Rainbow ... "bullet serve" tough to handle — and see — from her low trajectory ... Shoji compares her to former 'Bow Naomi Higa.
Kelly Ong (14)
5-5 Freshman
Oakland, Calif.
Walk-on with solid volleyball background and good defensive and setting skills ... setters like her energy.
Also: Blood (third on depth chart)
Setter
Kanoe Kamana'o (10)
5-8 Sophomore
Honolulu (Iolani)
Exceptional decision-making ability enhances hitters' skills ... tough to anticipate because she is comfortable with every set ... tough to read because she is fast and disciplined, squares up and jumps on every set.
Cayley Thurlby (13)
5-10 Sophomore
Naperville, Ill.
Shoji looking for ways to get her on the floor because she is "a tireless worker" with good setting skills and "decent" hitting skills ... comfortable as leader and fluid setter with lots of finesse ... "I think she'd start for a lot of other teams," Shoji says, "but I don't want her thinking about that."