Belated thread on UH-Texas Tech
Didn’t start one because I wasn’t there but that is my mistake. It deserves it’s own.
UH wins 18-25 25-20, 25-18, 25-17. Att: 1747
there were comments on other threads about it, particularly blocking. Lack of or poor.
Think you can hardly judge this team on Friday since Hartong didn’t play front row and they were down to two middles Both Vorster (knee) and Kastl (ankle) weren’t 100 percent. Things will be much different in fall.
stat-wise UH hit .229 to TT’s 181
Wahine outblocked 4-5, won the ace war 4-3, and led in digs 66-63
Tuaniga 8-1-14, Vorster 8-1-23, Manu-Olevao 12-3-32, Croson 5-4-21, Uiato 5-0-6, Long 3-4-14, Goodman 2-4-7, Kastl 16-5-38, Hartong 0-0-1. Uiato 12 digs. Kawamura, Ponce Spieler all used as DS.
Tech hit 406 in Set 1 to UH’s 108. TT didn’t hit above .220 the other 3 sets.
I hope Coach Shoji can pickup another tall Middle Blocker to backup Vorster. I am very leary about her knee, or any player with a knee problem for that matter. Would not take much for a knee problem to go bad, quickly. Lose Vorster, and the Wahine will get small very quickly.
The girls getting beat up, hope they all recover by the time the season starts.
I could give you guys a whole bunch of ‘takeaways’ from this weekend, but I won’t.
Cindy thinks that I was being rude to her, yet she glossed the fact that, perhaps, I was maybe speaking about myself..Hah?!
No big deal, tho. 🙂 …ONLY playin’
This would be a BIG deal:
Ginger Long, Kaela Goodman, Ashley Kastl, Jade Vorster, Tai Manu-Olevao, Kalei Adolpho/Dave Shoji, Karlee Riggs, Katie Spieler, Scott Wong (moving forward with the gargantuan tasks still ahead in this WSVB season)..&too, Luis’ lack of rubbah slippahs on the beach. What about that Wednsesday night pedicure from Windward Mall this past week?! Iiii she no even care; la dat! 😉
I’m not mad at you. Have no idea what you’re talking about regarding a pedicure. I had slippers Friday. They were under the scoring table.
Hardly beat up. Kastl rolled an ankle in practice. it will recover. Jade has had a knee problem. nothing new or serious. Hartong is on the mend with her ankle problem. Agree that they do need another middle in case TK’s shins act up again.
Read somewhere this rumour or rumor. Two players really interested in playing for Hawaii, sand or indoors? not sure of which, but they are from Irving Valley College. Annie Mitchem is from Irving, redshirted last season to get her grades up. Rumour/rumor. She’s a 6-3 middle.
Cindy, you have covered sports long enough to know, a player that has a knee problem, even a minor one, can get very serious fast. Faster then a shin problem.
#6 hollycow,
the two (unnamed) players from Irvine Valley College who are interested in UH are sand vball players. It’s reported here: http://diggingnawahine.blogspot.com, under the headline “Spring Ball and Sand Season”. imo this blog site is a really good source when it comes to any news about UHWVB (indoor and sand). It’s worth taking a look at if you haven’t yet.
As for Annie Mitchem, she is discussed on Volleytalk (VT), in a thread titled “2013 UH Wahine thread”. According to this thread (pg. 10 or 11), Mitchem may or may not be interested in UH. In other words it’s uncertain where she’ll end up in the near future so UH fans shouldn’t get their hopes up, at least for now.
As I’ve mentioned in a past thread (here), there are at least 2 credible VT posters who ppl should take seriously when it comes to recruits, transfers and current collegiate players. They go by the usernames, geddyleeridesagain and dorothymantooth.
I don’t think those posters at volleytalk are in the know about UH, one is a PSU/nebraska person that other So cal.
As long as Wong/sand abides under the overarch of indoor auspices, the WSVB team will struggle along. Retardant vision is compounded and made worse when a compilation of indecision, insularism and excessive amiability exist.
Sorry Ohana.
Na Wahine 2013 has a chance for it all!!
DF/Steve, my comment on Vorster was that her knee problem wasn’t new and it was serious. Of course, things can change quickly.
TK’s shins are chronic which has sidelined her for much of her career.
No surprise that Irvine (not Irving) Valley College continues to have players interested in UH (Sarah Mendoza)
Indoor and sand coach is former Warrior Tom Pestolesi, married to former Wahine Diane Pestolesi. Daughter Kari (UCI) is the indoor assistant
As for Mitchem, who plays both indoor (redshirt in 12) and is with Allie Cook as the No. 1 sand duo now, don’t think anyone was getting excited about her. in other words, it was always a rumor.
IVC, a two-year school, began offering sand VB last year. The Lasers will host Loyola Marymount and Nebraska Wednesday.
Cindy, do you know if the incoming 6-4 freshman able to play MB. The Wahine need a backup for Vorster, in case anything happens with her knee. Also, who knows what will happen with Adolpho’s situation.
To No. 11. No and no.
Just wanted to thank you for all that you do to promote Wahine volleyball. I always read your “blog”and appreciate what you and Ann do for UH sports. Mahalo.
Cindy, so it is your opinion that Vorster’s knee will hold up throught next season, and Coach Shoji does not need to look for a backup for her?
IMHO her knee should hold up but I am not a doctor. Obviously, they do need some depth at MB. Plus TK will be a senior and Adolpho will be a junior so there is a question of returning experience in 2014. Hartong could move back to MB if needed but they are seriously looking at her on the right.
Don’t know if they’d consider training Nikki Taylor, 6-3 and may have some more growth, as a middle.
Which 6-4 freshman are you referring to?
They may want to look but they have no scholarships left. Would need a walkon.
I like Hartong on the right, but only if Mita can go to her as often as needed. Emily is the best terminator on the team by far. So if Uiato isn’t able to get the ball to the right, even on a bad pass, I wouldn’t risk moving Hartong.
Cindy, sorry, I was talking about Taylor Higgins, thought she had grown to 6-4. Also, thought Coach Shoji had one more scholarship available, Monica Stauber’s.
Nikki Taylor or Taylor Higgins? Which one’s the setter and which one’s the hitter? Maybe they’ll have a walk-on middle in the fall that can be used as a practice player and emergency backup.
Cindy and df, its Nikki Taylor from Kaiser and Tayler Higgins from Punahou.
Hot, I guess, Cindy and I get those 2 player names mixed up. Talking about Nikki Taylor, the girl from Kaiser High. I would feel a whole lot more comfortable if Coach Shoji can pick up a 6-3, or 6-4 Middle, to back up Vorster.
I really do not want to see Emily Hartong move be to MB, if something happens to Vorster’s knee.
That should be, move back to MB.
thanks, have gotten the names mixed.
Don’t know why you think the Sand team will struggle. Indoor trains with the sand team a lot and they have no schedule conflict.
Besides, It’s only the second year of sand. They have made great strides in separating the two programs by bringing in sand-only players. BUT they only have 4 scholarships at this point and limited resources. The crossover is very common and will continue to be as the sport grows.
guess will have to wait to see how Nebraska does in its first year. John Cook coaching both indoor and sand.
From what I saw Fri. Kastl could be a very strong left side starter. With Hartong on the right you not only get her firepower you get her blocking against the other teams best hitters. Tai has improved and will push Kastl and Crosen. Kastl and Crosen are stronger in the back row than Tai at this point. If TK is healthy, she might challenge for a starting middle spot. Mita can make all the sets but she will need good passes to go right, left, middle, or pipe. Ali is looking good at libero and the battle for defensive specialist is under way. Anything from anyone else will be a bonus.
Need a libero to replace aly in 2014! How did spieler look?
I thought Kayla Kawamura and Ana Ponce did well what little time they were on the floor. They need more looks.
Ron, I would like to see Tuaniga be the other Middle, opposite Vorster. Tuaniga is alot quicker and runs the slide better, then Adolpho.
Coach Shoji, should be able to find a DS among the 5 or 6 players vying for that spot. They cannot all be bad.
Agree with mauna, I was impressed with them also. Also agree with DFan about TK but Adolpho is a stronger blocker. It would depend on the situation which one I would play. I think we can trust the coaches on this.
Adolpho is a great hitter , she just doesn’t connect well with Uiato. when Stauber set her, she was unstoppable and is clearly the hardest hitter out of the middles. Hope she connects well with Higgins, or somehow she and Uiato get in sync.
I agree, Adolpho is a stronger blocker. One reason I think Adolpho does not connect well with Uiato is that, Uiato’s sets a quicker ball, where as Stauber’s sets were slower. Adolpho needs to get quicker, or Uiato and her will have trouble connecting again. Adolpho seems to play in slow motion sometimes, even in basketball. One reason she has a hard time getting off her shot, in basketball. Adolpho is quick in blocking, both in volleyball and basketball, just do not know what the problem is on the offensive side, in both sports.
I don’t know what you’re watching speed is not a weakness for Kalei, what she does need is a perfect set, she isn’t as crafty as Vorster in putting the ball down when the set isn’t perfect.
Uiato just needs better location when setting her.
I disagree. I like Adolpho, but so many times last season it seemed as though her slide was in slow motion which allowed the opposing block to shut her down.
My opinion is that Shoji has Kalei in vice TK because Kalei can dominate the net as Hewitt had. TK has not taken over the same effect as Kalei in this sense. TK is quicker offensively but Kalei at times takes over the net with her blocking.
And to add, listening to what Shoji had to say about Kalei is that by her senior year she could/should be an AA. He has never said the same for TK. I think everyone should know that Shoji knows what he is saying after 38 seasons and all the AAs that went thru his program.
I think people think Kalei is getting blocked on the slide because she is slow, but it’s because the sets were off and tight. she needs higher sets IMO.
If Tayler Higgins wins the starting spot I think we will see a drastic improvement in Kalei’s hitting.
Yes, some of the sets were off, but you cannot put all the blame on Mita. Adolpho also seemed slow to the ball at times, and made some poor hitting choices.
It could be that Adolpho is slow or that her connection with Uiato is inconsistent, or a combination of both. Adolpho certainly had her share of good matches with high hitting percentage, but you can’t argue with stats. Vorster hit for a much higher percentage overall, even counting the middle of the season when she had strings of matches with terrible hitting percentages. I think Tuaniga should continue getting a look in the middle. I don’t know if Adolpho is the answer. She really did look slow on occasion. I don’t know if it’s her approach or she just doesn’t move as well as middles are expected to.