Day 5, Practice 2
They went late, 5:30-815. supposed to end at 8 but they were in a middle of playing ‘baseball.’ one of Shoji’s favorite scrimmage games. Don’t ask me to explain it. somehow points equal either base runners or runs, opposing kills and blocks equals outs. Suffice it to say, it went extra innings.
Early on, they had some fun drills, where people who don’t normally hit from the left side did, such as the middles and liberos/DSs.Sort of like pregame warmups.
started scrimmaging early into practice, which should be taken as a good sign. Lots of combos being used. They did a lot of 3-meter attacks with Taylor taking some big swings behind the 3-meter line. Also hitting with authority from there tonight were Hartong, Kastl, Long and Manu-Olevao.
Shoji made a point to say to ‘all right side hitters” (which means if you are hitting from the right, not just the RSs) that when the ball is set low not to try to go line since it won’t make it, to make the smart shot, which is cross court, even if it’s a lob.
They also ran some combo plays ahead of schedule apparently. Uiato ran an inside slide to Tuaniga, which prompted Shoji to ask: Are we running that already? Ah Mow-Santos replied: It got a point.
Also a couple of misdirection plays, one where Tuaniga went right on the slide but Taylor hit a D out of the right back.
Long also working on the D from the right back (obviously). and a couple of times Vorster was lined up behind Kastl on the right, coming across to hit middle.
Lot of good transition plays off defense. One point from Shoji was about the trajectory of the passing, how stepping under it just a little will alter it greatly.
Forgot to mention that UH has an ‘observer’ from Japan for the season. He is a coach from a club in Nagoya on sabbatical. He is allowed some limited interaction but nothing that constitutes coaching Didn’t catch his name.
Oh, someone asked about the UH men’s assistant, the one who will replace Carney. Ran into Wade today. He said they were close to naming someone but, as usual, the paperwork takes forever. Didn’t say who, only that it would be a familiar name, but no one who has been on staff before. Said that Maulia is coming back as video guy and Vernon probably a volunteer coach.
Team is off Thursday. I won’t be. finishing up story on the Duke’s OceanFest for Friday’s paper.
Laterz.
Great up date thanks. Familiar name but not on staff before, interesting, Hope it’s Lauri Hakala.
Any idea who is gonna start? Who would you start Cindy?
Thanks for the detailed report Cindy. Summer II ends today (Thurs) so I guess they’ll move the second practice up to 3:30 or so. The girls esp are happy for that I bet.
Good to know their utilizing Ginger Long as an attacker. Hope it translates to actual games. How did Goodman do? Did any of the DS stand out, Cindy?
Ditto, thanks for all your writing, such detail brings new understanding of team’s strategy and flexibility. Can’t wait to see some of the wrinkles against Texas. And BW won’t be able to keep up with Coach Dave and Wahine again. All ready getting excited to line up, get my snacks and get to my seat already. Go Wahine!
1. Hakala has left Pepperdine and believe now coaching in Slovenia. However, just saw he was up at UW. Not sure if it’s a visit or what.
2. yes, schedule has them back at 3-6 after taking Thursday off.
Team picture Friday morning, as well as some photos for our mini preview.
We are not doing the large preview mag as we have done the past few years. But will will be doing it for Shoji’s accomplishment.
thanks for the descriptive update — yay it’s inching closer to game day – super x cited!! speed/ defense / minimizing errors will certainly be key to the success of this season and beating the Goliath Texas…
1. Don’t know who I would start. Hard to get a read since players are going in and out so much. They definitely have options.
For sure Hartong LS, Uiato S, Longo L. I like Adolpho and Tuaniga at MB but you can’t overlook how effective Vorster has been.
Other LS … Kastl or Manu-Olevao or Long, although Taylor has looked good there. RS in no particular order: Goodman, Taylor, Kastl, Long, Manu-Olevao. DS: a real question. Lelepali because of her experience. Kawamura reminds me of Jamie Lee. Mendoza.
Higgins looks good as well. Potential there for a 6-2.
Passi has to redshirt otherwise she’d be in the mix at OH.
Interesting article this morning regarding setters. Is Higgins really pushing Uiato for the starting spot or is that more of a “tactic” to get Uiato to improve even more? Hard to believe a freshman would take over a senior HM All American. But I never followed Higgins at Punahou. For some reason I thought she was taller than 5’9″.
I see it as the incumbent 3 and L2 Kastl because of her backrow play, but she needs to up her hitting pct to stay in, RS Taylor, because she can pound and provide a big block for the opp. LS, Adolpho and Vorster, because they’re proven all around and started in almost all matches last.
great article by Ann in the paper. with the setters, this is where having robyn is truly valuable, not just for the national team and international experience she brings … but because robyn was by her own admission that quiet/timid (but immensely talented) setter when she got to manoa. she willed herself into being a vocal leader on the court. coaches can instruct their setters that they need to be more vocal and more of a leader, but with robyn, she’s a real life example of how it can be done.
agree that having Ah Mow on staff is great, but I wouldn’t say she was vocal at UH. Even her senior year she was more vocal compared to before but that never came until much later. That is the main reason she wasn’t seen as National Team material. She did have an innate ability to lead in a non-verbal way. I recall reading that you know when Ah Mow gave you that “look” you better play better. She said a lot without talking.
side note…whatever happened to Sarah Chase?
12. Ah mow is more vocal now than in college. She led a lot by example.
As for Sarah Chase. been in California ever since she left UH. think she was coaching club and high school at one point. she showed up at some wahine matches quite a while ago, like in the 90s when UH was still in the Big West the first time around. Haven’t seen her in ages.
However did see Toni Nishida Chock today while I was at Queen’s for interview. She’s the assistant principal at Maryknoll. her youngest kids, the twins, are entering 8th grade. Son leaves for NAU Monday. Oldest daughter trying to transfer to UOP to play from Southern Alabama.
Chase..
She got too tangled up with da locohs to have made it all the way.
WAS A SHOO-IN 1995 1ST TEAM AVCA/VBM ALL-AM., tho, had she returned.
🙁
Been in the PNW for some time now.
Used to see her around SoCal, also, prior
14. have deleted your less than PG comments MP from your post. sorry.
remember he more dating some of the HPU basketball players than anything else. and her mo-ped, which kept getting stolen.
Was just discussing her with Charlie Brande the other day. she is one that had talent not realized.
Robyn Ah-Mow replaced senior starter setter Kari Anderson as the starting setter in 1994