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CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
Rainbow Wahine celebrated an ace by Norene Iosia in the second set of tonight’s match against Missouri State.
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
University of Hawaii’s Nikki Taylor powered a kill past Missouri State’s Lynsey Wright.
Senior All-America opposite Nikki Taylor played for the first time this season, putting down 21 kills — including career No. 1,000 — and No. 15 Hawaii swept Missouri State 25-16, 25-22, 25-22 in tonight’s second match of the 29th Hawaiian Airlines Classic volleyball tournament at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Taylor also was in on four of the Rainbow Wahine’s nine blocks, adding 11 digs for the only double-double. Taylor becomes the 19th Wahine to reach the 1,000-kill mark, the first since Emily Hartong (2013).
No. 8 UCLA (4-0) remained undefeated with a 22-25, 25-21, 25-18, 25-19 win over Pacific (2-2) in today’s opener.
Wahine freshman hitter Kirsten Sibley added 13 kills and junior libero Savanah Kahakai had 15 digs, her fourth straight in double digits.
Junior hitter Lily Johnson led Missouri State with 12 kills and junior middle Lynsey Wright had 11.
Hawaii won the block war 9-4 and had a 51-46 edge in digs.
Wow! What a difference Taylor brings to the team. The other “veteran” hitters gotta step up because volleyball is still a team sport. Go Bows!
Middles got fewer and fewer sets, mainly due to poor passing and partly due to setter going to the “hot” hand. As in the Wisconsin match the passing went awry or only made it to the 3 meter line. (Can’t run the middle from the 3 meter line)
Passing comes before everything else (setting, hitting, digging) And It’s not like Hawaii has a shortage of DS’. Going high to the outside on almost every play will not work against a good blocking team. (Recall Minnesota)
When coaches become satisfied with mediocre passing they get mediocre results.
Yes coach easy for you to say from the sidelines