After three straight weeks of intense tournament play, Hawaii returns to the Stan Sheriff Center on Wednesday for a different type of intensity, one with a foreign flair.
Toyota Auto Body is back for a third consecutive season, the Queenseis bringing a high-speed offense matched by a very high energy level.
The exhibition with the Japanese pro team opens Hawaii’s final week of preconference play. The Rainbow Wahine also have 7 p.m. matches Friday and Saturday against Northern Arizona (9-0), the second match preceded by the annual alumnae contest at 5 p.m.
Missing out on both the alumnae match and Wednesday’s exhibition is Wahine All-American Kanani Danielson. Danielson, in her third year with the Queenseis, is continuing to rehab after March surgery for a torn labrum in her hitting shoulder.
"The team is so excited to be here, especially the new players," said Danielson, who earned All-America recognition all four years at Hawaii (2008-2011). "They are so honored to be able to represent Japan.
"They are amazed by the size of our arena, that this is where volleyball matches are played. I’m excited to share this with them, they really like playing down here. It’s weird for me, being on the opponent’s side."
Hawaii (6-3) is looking forward to the less frenetic pace of this week and especially to the exhibition. Coach Dave Shoji said he intends to use all 16 players against Toyota Auto Body, including sophomore hitter Nikki Taylor (hyper-extended elbow), who made her first start of the season Sunday against San Francisco.
"It’s another opportunity for us to compete and get better," Shoji said. "This is the first week that we have everyone available.
"The Japanese run a much faster offense and they will help prepare us. They’re almost like Oregon but faster. We were not ready for that pace. We know we have to pick it up."
"I think this will give us a chance to try things that maybe we aren’t comfortable doing, take chances," senior middle Kalei Adolpho said. "You have nothing to lose and you can work on different things.
"Every game, every time you play is another chance to get better."
Something the Rainbow Wahine know they need to improve on is avoiding sluggish starts. It showed Sunday against the Dons, especially in an ugly Set 1 in which Hawaii was outscored 11-2 at the end of a 25-15 loss.
Hawaii rebounded to win in four, "but playing bad is never a good thing," Adolpho said. "The positive thing is that we bounced back. We need to make it a point to come out stronger and perform at our best from the start."
NOTES
In Big West statistics, Hawaii leads the conference in blocks (105.5) and ace average (1.64 aps). Rainbow Wahine junior blocker Olivia Magill is tops in blocks (55) and junior hitter Tai Manu-Olevao in ace average (0.56 aps).
