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The goal was to showcase, adjust, re-adjust and learn. And learn some more.
That’s what both Hawaii and Texas took away from Thursday night’s exhibition volleyball match at the Stan Sheriff Center. Spring is a springboard to fall, putting things in place or tossing them out before it counts.
Somehow, the Rainbow Wahine found a way to put things together after falling apart in Set 1 and rally for a 15-25, 25-20, 25-15, 25-23 win over the Longhorns. Junior hitter Tai Manu-Olevao put down a match-high 19 kills and freshman libero Savannah Kahakai served the final seven points to lead the Rainbow Wahine.
“All I was trying to do was to serve the area that Ali (former UH libero Longo) told me to serve,” said Kahakai, who finished with 25 digs. “It was the area where their two passers hadn’t been passing well. Then I was told to mix it up, serve the libero (Punahou product Kat Brooks). Important thing was to keep it in.
“Set 1 … we were horrible. But Robyn (assistant coach Ah Mow-Santos) gave us her pep talk, let us know we needed more energy. The best thing was everyone came together after Set 1.”
As expected, there was good, bad and pretty ugly on both sides of the court. And, especially for Hawaii, a lot of experimentation … some by design, some out of necessity.
Few were expecting freshman setter Kendra Koelsch to play right-side hitter. But she did, replacing a weary sophomore Nikki Taylor who, less than 24 hours earlier, had lost a three-setter in Wednesday’s sand volleyball match against USC.
Few were expecting senior middle Kalei Adolpho to make a cameo appearance on the right, putting down her only swing to pull Hawaii to within 20-16 in Set 4 and sparking what would be a 9-3 closing run.
And very few, if any of the 1,868 in the stands expected the Rainbow Wahine to win — let alone have the match go four sets — after Hawaii looked, as Kahakai said, horrible in Set 1, hitting negative .088.
“Our hitters figured out things finally,” Rainbow Wahine coach Dave Shoji said. “I thought both Tai and Kalei (freshman hitter Greeley) made huge adjustments. They needed to hit higher and smarter and that’s what she did.
“If we had gone five (sets), Nikki would have gone back in. She’s played a lot of volleyball this week and has more to play (in sand competition the next three days). There was not much gas left in her tank.”
Shoji said he was pleased with the play of both Kahakai and freshman middle Emily Maglio, the latter finishing with seven kills and seven blocks.
“I know I said that Maglio was our most improved player this spring but I think it’s Kahakai,” Shoji said. “I think we have found our libero for next year. To have 25 digs in a four-set match is impressive.”
At one point in Set 4, Hawaii had five freshmen on the court and “that’s a good sign,” Shoji said. “That shows you the potential we have.”
Texas coach Jerritt Elliott was impressed as well. While he also had a limited roster, with eight healthy players, “I thought Hawaii was good, as always. And their libero was fantastic.
“Both teams made big runs. Theirs came at the end. But it was fun to play in this environment. We’re working on a lot of things and we want to speed up our offense.”
That quickness had Hawaii confused early with Texas hitting an efficient .219. The Rainbow Wahine also struggled with a taller block; the Longhorns had seven of their 17 blocks in Set 1.
Hawaii turned it around in Set 2, dominating from the beginning, and was even better in Set 3. Texas looked poised to send it to five, with leads of 20-15 and 23-17. Brooks’ service error made it 23-18, sending Kahakai to the service line. She never left, serving the last seven and watching Greeley put down the last two kills to end it.
NOTE: Hawaii has a tentative trip to Europe planned for the first time in program history. The itinerary includes Italy, Slovenia and the Czech Republic after finals in May.
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