MARIBOR, Slovenia » New countries. New foods. New experiences.
Hawaii’s final day in Slovenia was what its 12-day European tour is all about. Being pustolovski (adventurous).
It was about trying the cevapcici (caseless Serbian sausage) and baklava (a Middle Eastern dessert) at the Balkan restaurant Bascarsija. It was playing for the Slovenian junior national team against their Rainbow Wahine teammates, as Kalei Adolpho and Ginger Long did in Saturday’s friendly at the Dras Center.
Slovenia was down to seven players, courtesy of two leaving for new professional teams and several others called up to the senior squad that was playing in France also on Saturday. Adolpho and Long — both graduated seniors — were asked to change jerseys and "Oh, yeah, we weren’t going to pass up that opportunity," Long said. "It was a lot of fun, the coach was very nice.
"What’s crazy is talking to the girls on the sidelines. One says she’s in ninth grade, that next year she goes to high school and play professionally for her club. She’ll be paid to play while in high school. Are you kidding? It’s definitely cool they get to do that here."
The experience could further push open the door to playing in Europe for Adolpho and Long. Slovenian junior team coach Joze Casar said the two had potential at the next level.
"Maybe not Champions League, but they’d find a league to play in if they want to come," he said. "They are both good players. It takes time to get used to the sets and the system, but they both did good."
Just not good enough to help Slovenia over Hawaii. The Rainbow Wahine had their passing game going for a second consecutive day, allowing for an effective middle game that led the way to a 25-21, 25-15, 25-18, 22-25 victory. (The coaches agreed to play four sets.)
By coincidence, Adolpho was matched up against Tai Manu-Olevao on slide attempts several times, with the first one stuffed by Manu-Olevao. Not so coincidentally, when Long entered the game, she was immediately targeted on the serve.
And a few times, Manu-Olevao’s rocket kill attempts were launched toward Adolpho playing back row.
The Hawaii-on-Hawaii was all done in fun, but the Rainbow Wahine got some seriously good efforts from middles Olivia Magill and Emily Maglio at the net and on the service line.
Maglio’s extended stay on the baseline helped Hawaii rally in Set 1, as she served for five straight, including two aces, while the Rainbow Wahine took control at 23-19.
The only set Hawaii dropped came after a change in the lineup, with Megan Huff in for Kalei Greeley on the outside and Clare-Marie Anderson in at libero for Savannah Kahakai. The Slovenians took the lead for good at 15-14.
"What impressed me is there was not a lot of communication by (Slovenia) on serve-receive," Long said. "Our teams talk so much, but they are completely silent. They know in their heads who the ball is going to. It was a really good experience."
Casar said he was impressed by Hawaii overall, particularly middles Magill and Maglio.
"We played good, but Hawaii was way stronger in the middle," he said. "Their middles … their reach is incredible, and when they start hitting from that reach, they’re going got be unstoppable."
The "always a Hawaii connection" continued Saturday with Tom Williams (Punahou ’99), now living in Maribor, coming to watch the match with wife Ivana. Former UH basketball player Ales Zivanovic returned to watch for a second day, bringing his 4-year-old Val (Slovenian for wave).
As for the cevapcici, that also had a Hawaii connection. Current UH men’s volleyball assistant coach Milan Zarkovic, a Serbian national, made Rainbow Wahine associate coach Jeff Hall promise that they’d try the sausage dish.
"It’s good," Hall said.
Hawaii leaves Sunday for Vienna, some 150 miles to the north across the Austrian border. The Rainbow Wahine will do some sightseeing in the capital city, then leave for Prague on Monday, about 300 miles farther north.
