Wahine volleyball players do double duty

This is one week where having a split personality is a good thing. It also will be taxing but fun.

Or so says Nikki Taylor, one of several Hawaii volleyball players who will do double duty indoors and on the beach this week. The Rainbow Wahine host Iowa State in a spring exhibition at the Stan Sheriff Center, a match that will be sandwiched by three dual beach matches and a pairs beach tournament between today and Sunday.

“It’s the hardest week of our careers, but it’s only one week and we’ll get through it,” said the junior who has earned All-America honors on both playing surfaces. “I think the hardest thing is that we work on different skills and you constantly have to change your mind-set, needing this specific skill for indoor and, for sand, you’re doing something completely different.

‘Sometimes it’s a little bit of a struggle. But once in the gym, I think I can do a pretty good job at being just an oppo (opposite).”

While the Hawaii beach team has had more than a month of practice — the SandBows (3-3) are ranked No. 5 nationally — Monday was the first official day of a five-week indoor training window. Taylor, sophomore middle Emily Maglio and freshman outside hitter Casey Castillo are the three expected to be doing most of the crossover this week.

Sophomore defensive specialists Clare-Marie Anderson and Gianna Guinasso may see time at both, particularly in Friday’s pairs event at Queen’s Beach with No. 3 USC, Loyola Marymount and defending indoor champion Nebraska. Head beach coach Jeff Hall said that Taylor and Maglio won’t practice indoors today since the SandBows play defending champion USC this afternoon and that the two, and perhaps Castillo, won’t participate in Friday’s pairs event, instead concentrating on the indoor exhibition with Iowa State that night.

“We made Friday a pairs event so we can pull out the indoor girls,” said Hall, also the associate head indoor coach. “The pairs results don’t count on our record and it gives other (sand-only) players more playing experience.

“But they (the indoor players) will come right back on Saturday (for a dual with Loyola Marymount). It’s a tough turnaround, but this is what they signed up for. ”

Maglio continues to impress both Hall and head indoor coach Dave Shoji, as well as the Big West. Maglio and graduate student Katie Spieler won the conference “pair of the week” for the second straight week after going 2-0 with dominating wins in the No. 1 flight Saturday against Hawaii Pacific and TCU.

“For someone as big as she is, Maglio moves so well,” Shoji said of the 6-foot-3 Canadian. “Unfortunately, indoors she doesn’t get to show off those skills. She’s just a better volleyball player now.”

Of the 13 returning indoor players, only sophomore hitter Kalei Greeley (offseason surgery) is expected to miss Friday’s exhibition against the Cyclones. Castillo is the likely replacement.

“Casey will get her chance, get a lot of reps that will help her progress,” Shoji said. “And (rising senior middle Annie) Mitchem is being counted on to play a big role.”

Mitchem missed the last 12 matches of Hawaii’s elite-eight run last season with a fractured finger.

Today’s beach match with USC will be televised on OC Sports. It’s the second time in 11 days that the SandBows will see the Women of Troy; Hawaii lost its second opener to USC 4-1 at the Pepperdine Kickoff Tournament, but one loss was in three sets and another went 22-20, 21-19.

“Nothing much changes other than we’re able to be a little more tactical, have some film on them and we’ve switched a couple of our pairs since then,” Hall said. “The goal is to go in and win.”

USC, the preseason No. 1, dropped a spot to No. 3 in Monday’s poll following a 3-2 loss Friday to new No. 2 Florida State. It was the third five-set match in five contests or the Women of Troy, who also lost in five to current No. 1 Pepperdine and defeated current No. 6 Long Beach State in five.