It’s much too early to worry, but Wahine face challenge

We always know the University of Hawaii women’s volleyball team is going to be good.

The question year after year is how good, and the standards are higher than they are for any other team on campus, except perhaps the sailing squad.

But volleyball is high profile, a lot of people care very deeply about this team. And season-ticket sales are up.

So, when the Rainbow Wahine opened camp Sunday without the services of the next big up-and-coming star, sophomore outside hitter Nikki Taylor, it’s a cause for concern — especially when we’re told her ailing elbow will likely keep her out of the season-opening match and more.

Taylor wasn’t going to fill the big hole left by the departure of Emily Hartong by herself, but as coach Dave Shoji says, "We had built the offense around Nikki and her skills. We don’t have anybody who will duplicate that, so we may be in a different system now."

Shoji says this very calmly. He knows it’s not the end of the world, it’s just the start of camp. It’s not a good development, but he’s dealt with much worse in 40 years as the Wahine head coach.

At least in this case other players get a chance to show what they can do. Assuming Taylor heals quickly, the situation should improve Hawaii’s depth, as well as the confidence level of some young players.

It is, of course, less than ideal that a new starting setter, sophomore Tayler Higgins, takes over the reins minus an All-Big West performer and with just two other returning starters, middle Kalei Adolpho and outside hitter Tai Manu-Olevao. Actually, UH was even without Manu-Olevao on Sunday for religious reasons.

Still, we’ve learned over the years not to worry too much about such predicaments. Some of Shoji’s best teams have come out of seemingly nowhere.

The best example that comes to mind is 2004, when the Wahine won their first 30 matches and lost only one, to end the season in the NCAAs. UH had lost two of the program’s all-time most-talented players, Lily Kahumoku and Kim Willoughby, and four other players considered starters.

Of course, that team 10 years ago had Kanoe Kamana‘o, a composed leader and consistently excellent force at setter.

No one is comparing Higgins to Kamana‘o, but Shoji sees potential.

"Tayler, she’s a young setter, but she’s very gritty. She’s a very cerebral player. She understands the offense," the coach said. "She just needs time to be the general out there. She’s very capable, but until you actually get out there and do it there’s nothing proven about her, but we have confidence in her."

Higgins will have to project leadership and adaptability, especially with Taylor out and then again when she returns.

"This year there are more expectations. I’m a little bit more prepared," Higgins said. "More comfortable around people, the coaching staff and the girls."

Eight newcomers were not here to feel what Higgins called the "sting-y" feeling of being swept at home by BYU in the second round of the NCAA tournament last year.

Adolpho said the bitter finish to a 25-5 season did serve as motivation to prep for this one.

"Losing’s never fun at any point in time. And definitely the way it happened here, the senior class we had, the position we were in. Those things all just added to how bad we felt after the loss," she said.

The loss of a key player to injury headed into a new season isn’t good either, but by no means is all lost before it even begins for this edition of UH volleyball — one which (again) could be Shoji’s final go-round before retirement. He wasn’t saying Sunday, as he entered his 40th year of coaching the Wahine … keep an eye on his Twitter account at the end of the season — that’s where he announced he’d be back for this one.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. Read his blog at staradvertiser.com/quickreads.