Wahine win in blur

Hawaii’s volleyball season-opener shrank into a sneak peek Friday. Albany traveled 5,000 miles for the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational and played well the first 10 minutes.

The eighth-ranked Wahine blew to a 25-17, 25-6, 25-17 win before 5,227 at Stan Sheriff Center. The 80-minute match went by in a blur, answering almost none of Hawaii’s critical questions.

"I was hoping we wouldn’t start thinking," shrugged Albany coach MJ Engstrom. "It’s just a totally new team."

Hawaii is half new, but the second-set blowout tied the rally-scoring record for fewest points by an opponent. The Great Danes needed 18 minutes to get their first kill in that set. They trailed 22-4 at that juncture and would finish with just two kills in the set.

In the third, UH coach Dave Shoji brought in two new middles and started transfer Ashley Kastl, who played a key part in a stunningly successful double substitution with backup setter Monica Stauber in the second set.

Everything was successful in that set. Penn State transfer Ali Longo, who started at libero for UH, served eight straight points. Shoji tried the double-sub and Stauber served six, then Jane Croson five.

All three of those runs ended on a service error.

"We’ve all been on that side at one point in time," Longo said. "Obviously they were frustrated, but we had to keep going, so we didn’t lower our play."

Albany has won the past three America East titles. It wanted to play in Hawaii so senior Gabby Whitworth, a Kalaheo graduate, could come home.

Only it got here the year after losing its all-region libero, best hitter and the conference’s best setter the past three years.

"We’ve had the same setter for the last five years counting preseason," Engstrom said. "Sofia (Furlong) has only been setting two years. She played middle. It’s a stressful situation. And our other setter has been injured."

Junior Mita Uiato is beginning her second season as the Wahine’s starting setter. She orchestrated an offense that hit .385 in the opener. The most impressive part of that was the first touch and the success of the new Hawaii middles.

Kalei Adolpho and Jade Vorster, in their starting debut together, combined for 11 kills and all five of Hawaii’s blocks in the opening two sets. Kristiana Tuaniga was just as effective in the third, going 4-for-5 with two stuffs. She had just 23 kills total her first two seasons.

"The middles were open and I wanted our setter to set it," Shoji said. "We need that output from the middle. We know we can go outside. We’re going to be good outside."

Even with the win coming at warp speed it was obvious that Longo will make a difference. Her ballhandling was brilliant and she was everywhere, seemingly without effort, taking much of the sting out of the loss of three-time All-American Kanani Danielson.

"I thought we passed well, which was encouraging," Shoji said. "We want to give Ali a lot of court. She can handle it, but the other thing it does is allow Jane and (Emily) Hartong to pass less. When they don’t have to move much they’re pretty good.

By the end, Hartong (14 kills) and Croson (11) were worry-free and launching balls straight down. From 8-10 in the first set, Hawaii outscored Albany 65-32.

Opening-night drama lasted only until the first technical timeout. It seemed as if Longo was serving most of the match. She was that good in a Wahine debut she had been eagerly anticipating for months.

"It was still overwhelming," she said. "It’s a big arena and you realize how many fans you have, but once you get playing it’s all the same still."

It was mostly all good Friday. Hawaii plays Saint Mary’s tonight. The Gaels were swept by sixth-ranked Stanford in Friday’s opener, but will put up a much better fight tonight.

"It will be a tougher match," Shoji said. "Saint Mary’s serves better and is just a tougher team. They didn’t look particularly good tonight. They’ll play better tomorrow. I can predict that."