Thursday, practice 2
Was at the morning practice briefly ’cause had an interview with Shoji set. They looked a lot at the passing numbers off the serves. Shoji would like those to be higher.
Back in the arena. They continue to scrimmage in set rotations. They haven’t called many lifts but when Taylor tried to set the back from the back row, it was very ugly. the opposing side groaned so loudly — sort of the like SSC crowd — that Shoji felt compelled to blow the whistle on the lift.
Players continue to rotate in and out by position. UH practicing a lot of different lineups. Shoji said this morning that it’s a good thing for a coach to have.
He has already started looking at the matchups with Texas. Said they are definitely undersized at most positions against the Longhorns and they looking at how best to match up in certain situations.
Said Texas had the potential not to lose all season.
The side with Longo, Uiato Hartong, Taylor, Manu-Olevao, Adolpho, Passi won that mini-scrimmage.
The one position that they will be undersized, if Shoji decides to start Nikki Taylor, is at the LS2 position, with either Olevao, or Kastl, both being listed at 6’0. Hopefully, their quickness will offset their height disadvantage, against the Longhorns.
This would be my starting lineup, for JUST the Texas Longhorns match ONLY:
LS1 – Hartong
LS2 – Olevao
RS – Taylor
S – Uiato
MB – Vorster
MB – Adolpho
L – Longo
Long to come in for Taylor in the back row. Reason, need fire power in the back row, against Texas.
Only reason Vorster, cause of her height, versus Texas’s height.
Remember, I said this is my starting lineup for the Texas match, ONLY. I can see changes after this match, like Tuaniga starting for Vorster, or another DS playing for Taylor, in the back row, or even starting some else at the RS. Like Dave and Cindy have mentioned, a lot will have to do with matchups.
They would be undersized at setter if Texas goes with their 5-11 senior. Their freshman setter listed at 5-7. their sophomore setter-OH is 6-2. Dalton very versatile. started out last season in the 6-2 then switched to defensive specialst.
not that it matters but UT libero Palmer is 5-10
Longhorns can put up a front of 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. UH cannot
Just passing along what Shoji said.
They are done early for something going on in the arena. Team took down the nets, were missing 4 volleyballs at the end of practice as opposed to the usual one. but those have been found.
Team taking the morning off. They will be back tomorrow afternoon.
then official scrimmage is Saturday.
3. Cindy, the Wahines can basically match that up front size of 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, of Texas, with Hartong, 6-2, Vorster, 6-4, and Taylor, 6-3. It is after that the Wahines do not match up well.
Thinking about lineups is fun! I’d like to see Hartong with either Manu-Olevao or Taylor on the left, the trio of Tuaniga, Adolpho and Vorster rotating in the middle, Uiato at setter and either Goodman or Taylor on the right, with Kastl getting a look. Longo at libero, Kawamura for one of the pin hitters not named Hartong and I’m curious to see how good a passer Mendoza is. And I’d like to see more of Ginger Long, preferably as an attacker.
Going to be fun to see Kawamura (UH), Palmer (Texas), and Oliveira (San Diego) who won 2 state championships together at HBA, play each other in the upcoming tourney.
So team taking the morning off for some bonding. Freshmen making brownies for the potluck’s dessert according to the Goodmans’ mom who was in the arena today. Brownies made with chocolate chip cookie dough, brownie mix and oreo cookies. Sounds really sweet to me.
Texas is tall but not that tall. People are losing concept of their height just because they won the championship. The starters are OH Eckerman 6-3, Webster 6-3, Victoria 5-11, MB Bell 6-1 and McCage 6-3. Sitting on the bench is unproven freshman Sara Hattis who is not a starter, the only one at 6-4. Baker 6-3 and Dalton 6-2 are redshirting.
Merely was passing along a direct quote from Shoji. That they will be undersized at most positions against Texas. I agree, as some have pointed out, that Hawaii’s quickness can negate size. But that all will be predicated on the ability to pass and run the offense in transition and out-of-system.
I am starting to see comparisons to last year’s Stanford game. Which was supposed to be an easy winn for the highly touted Stanford team. Well we know what happened there. And why you might ask don’t I compare it to the UCLA game? Well in that one the coach’s intimate knowledge of the Wahine allowed him to anticipate and counter any moves by Coach Dave. Texas doesn’t have that special insight into the personnel and tactics they might be seeing. I know that isn’t a big edge but there are times when it can be enough. Go Wahine!