UH-UCD rewind
Will keep it short
Thought Hawaii played well for the most part. Passing much better than they had.
Agree that they might have gone to Hartong too much … again. 15-3-40. Taylor 11-4-22.
Adolpho had a nice night hitting middle 8-3-16. Couple of her slides went wide but there was one point where she went wide in Set 3 and Uiato went right back to her.
Unsung hero tonight was Mendoza with 12 digs, career high, and an ace.
UH got outblocked 7-6. 4-0 in Set 3 when getting a little predictable.
won the dig war 42-36. Good serving night 2 aces, 4 SE. Davis 2 aces, 6 SEs.
Stay dry. Good night.
COMMENTS
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Great job by the Wahine. Mendoza was impressive but believe her career-high was at UCSB (13 digs). This might be her best defensive effort, though with 12 digs in just three sets. UCSB was five sets. Also had 12 digs in four sets vs. LBSU.
I thought they play well too. Didn’t seem sluggish which some expected after a lay off.
Thought Nikki shined along with Mendoza.Longo’s passing was really good,Dave doing some new stuff with the rotations.
Tomorrow will be tough for Dave because winning is really important and getting all the seniors could bring problems.
~~ From the Who Cares! Department ~~
Weekend 9 of the 10-week Conference Season
Saturday (Nov. 23)
* Illinois @ PSU ~ Senior Night for the Lions will make it almost impossible for the Fightin Illini, which @ 15-12 has now secured postseason eligibility, to continue its hot winning streak
* BYU [15-2] @ San Diego [15-2] ~ for bragging rights and possible subregional host bid
* Pepperdine @ Santa Clara ~ insignificant except final indoor volleyball match for Nina Matthies, 31 years at the helm at Pepperdine (Matthies, inaugural winner of the AVCA Sand Volleyball Coach of the Year award in 2013, will continue as the Waves’ sand volleyball coach)
* Northridge @ Hawai’i ~ if ever there was a time for Na Wahine to play Hawai’i volleyball, this is it
Sunday (Nov. 24)
* Missouri @ Kentucky ~ perhaps Senior Day will inspire the Wildcats to do what no other team has done thus far
Well done Wahine. I like that they played efficiently tonight.
I also like that they set the pipe set to the back right to Taylor a lot. Finally a new wrinkle in the Wahine offense.
I hope the coach plays his regular starters and not just play the seniors because its senior nite…they have to win this match instead of the coach playing “good guy” with his seniors………..
I think Shoji will go with the regular starters. Three of them are seniors and Goodman plays a lot anyway. Kastl and Tuaniga may play the last few points and Lelepali is part of the regular rotation, so it’s all good. In 2007, Shoji started two of his four seniors on senior night and the other two only played in the last two or three points.
The regular Volley Shots posters must be happy with Shoji after tonight. He is sticking with Lelepali as designated server; I don’t remember her making any service errors in the last several matches, though she probably did. Lots of complaints, including from me, about the many service errors by the other bench players. The other chronic complaint was Manu-Olevao’s back row play. Taylor has replaced Manu-Olevao as a six-rotation player; this seems to have stabilized the back row play. That Taylor is able to perform well in the back row with her size is a welcome surprise. She is also effective from the the back of the 3 meter line.
Nice focused win. Lots of diversity and angles in offense at last. Everyone did their jobs. Sarah stepped it up and stayed focused on defense. The whole team looked refreshed with their attacks throughout the night. While I want to see and honor all of Magnificent Seven, I want a win, too. I know they can all contribute and am confident the underclassmen will be pumped to support their sisters as best as they can. Don’t want a series sweep by CSN to leave that bad taste in your mouth and blemish this team’s success. Go Ali, Ashley, Courtney, Emily, Kaela, Kristiana, Mita and Wahine!
Take nothing for granted…. just read about purdue”s sweep of. Nebraska last night. They beat them twice.
7. Lelepali is steady, but I think you have to understand that Kawamura’s job is to serve tough, and the risk of doing that is committing errors. There’s no point in using a serving specialist if that player is just going to use a lollipop or “safe” serve. If that’s the case why not just let the middle serve. So while I understand the frustration with Kawamura committing errors, I also understand the reason for using her.
i liked Lelepali coming in to serve. she had a couple nice serving runs. she’s got a consistent jump float, that didn’t get aces last night, but it caused some problems for uc davis receivers.
she also came in and played some nice defense. the only qualm is that she seemed to be shaky when stepping in to set the 2nd ball. she seemed to have corrected that by the end of the match though.
agree. i’ll take the no errors versus the high risk serving tough errors at critical junctures (long/kawamura)
any day… (but what do i know).
:o)
Just a little recap on teams that will help hawaiis rpi. Creighton and Wichita won.
I like when kawamura Comes in too serve. She makes some errors but her ball is tough.
Byu up 2-1 against San Diego for the wcc championships
9. Hot-Lelepali and Kawamura have the same role. What good is a serving specialist if they serve out? If that’s the case then let the middle serve.
Lelepali has been consistent in getting her serves in and plays good defense. Again. A great defensive specialist is no good if they can’t get their serve in.
San Diego beats byu in 5 to take the wcc title
I agree with having Lelepali coming in to serve. I thought she did a really nice job. When you win the serve you also win the momentum. When you serve out you are giving it back without having the other team earn it.
I also like how Mendoza is playing. I think she should be looked at as next years libero.
On Aldolpho’s slide. Early on their left side blocker was sitting in the inside taking away Kalei’s cross court shot. She left the line wide open. After Kalei was getting blocked I saw Dave talking to her when she went to the sidelines after being subbed. The next shot Adolpho went line. Then she kinda stayed there.
15. Exactly. I checked the play-by-play and while Kawamura makes errors, she also makes serving runs, which is probably why she earned that spot over Lelepali at the beginning of the season. Yes I am aware that they play the same role. And my point was that Shoji uses Kawamura not because she serves out but because she has a tough serve. Otherwise, why use her or any serving specialist, for that matter, if they’re only going to serve lollipops that will almost surely be returned for points by the opponents. At least that’s how I understand the serving specialist role.
i also think there’s a benefit in bringing in different serving specialists in. i say use lelepali, and kawamura, and long … use ’em at different times. but maybe use the the most consistent one the most. bringing different ones in can throw opposing passers for a loop, and makes hawaii’s serving a little more challenging to scout.
but in the end, no matter who is brought in … they have to execute.
I guess I am old school. Get the serve in and let the block or defense get a block or dig.
Don’t recall Emily Maglio or Kalei Greeley making an official visit here, maybe tonight?
What ever happen the official Hironaga?
Shoji did not have to use Kawamura last night. UCD had problems passing.
24. dn’t know what you mean? They rotate assignments. Ernie Ho was down last night, Denice Hanson will be down tonight. the Big West sends the up refs. it’s Syd Church again tonight.
BTW, it’s Hironaka.