Struggling Wahine look for consistency

Taking a line from the Imagine Dragons song “Roots,” No. 14 Hawaii looks to rewrite “another high, another low” and change it to “another high, another high” at this week’s Outrigger Resorts Challenge.

The Rainbow Wahine went back to their roots on Tuesday, concentrating on skills, the focus being on passing.

“Can’t pass, can’t win” was the constant reminder from the coaches.

Another day, another door? More like another week, another tough challenge.

And the search for consistency.

“I didn’t think we’d start off this way, having almost everyone back,” Hawaii junior libero Savanah Kahakai said of the 3-3 start. “Last week, it was sweep (Missouri State), sweep (Pacific) then we got swept (by UCLA).

“This week, another Pac-12 team (No. 6 Washington). Think there’s some pressure on us.”

The struggle is real.

Hawaii has had issues holding leads and closing out sets. Having senior opposite Nikki Taylor return after missing the first three matches has helped, but the Wahine continue to seek consistency at the two left-side positions.

With junior Kalei Greeley still less than 100 percent and seeing limited front-row play, Hawaii’s relied on sophomore McKenna Granato and freshman Kirsten Sibley. This week, freshman McKenna Ross — transitioning from high school hitter to collegiate defensive specialist — is getting more reps on the outside.

“The thing is we need to get better on the left,” Hawaii coach Dave Shoji said. “We need to steady out, play under control, show improvement.

“It’s another tough weekend for us.”

Looming on Sunday is No. 6 Washington, a team that has ended Hawaii’s season in the NCAA tournaments of 2010, 2012 and 2014, all of those played in Seattle. The Wahine’s last win over the Huskies was at the Stan Sheriff Center for the 2008 Chevron Invitational championship.

While she might not be cleared to play this week, senior middle Annie Mitchem is “close” to returning to the court, Shoji said. Mitchem missed the last 12 matches of last season with a fractured right pinkie and all of this year so far with a fractured left pinkie.

With Mitchem back, it would allow sophomore middle Casey Castillo to move back to her more natural position on the outside, giving the Wahine another option at hitter.

NO. 6 WASHINGTON (5-0)

The Huskies opened with two road wins in Washington, D.C., including a five-set win over American in which UW was down 2-1. They won three at home last week, sweeping Seattle and Villanova and winning in four against Idaho.

Keegan Cook, the reigning AVCA Pacific North Region Coach of the Year, is in his second year as head coach (36-3). He was Jim McLaughlin’s top assistant the previous two seasons.

Coincidentally the first time Cook saw Washington play was at the Stan Sheriff Center. He was an assistant at St. Mary’s during the 2008 Chevron Invitational, a tournament that featured his Gaels, the Huskies, Pacific and eventual champion Hawaii.

Washington appears to have regrouped just fine after the loss of the six-member Class of 2015, which had 117 career wins, the most for any graduating class. The defending Pac-12 co-champions have plenty back, including junior hitters Tia Scambray and Crissy Jones, both named to the All-Pac-12 preseason team.

Junior hitter Courtney Schwan leads the team in kills (3.89 kps), with Scambray second (3.39 kps). Schwann is second to freshman libero Shayne McPherson in digs (55-51). Washington was picked to finish third in the conference’s preseason poll behind Stanford and UCLA.

The Huskies trail in the series with Hawaii 8-6 and are 1-0 with Utah Valley State. This will be the first meeting with Northern Illinois.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS (5-1)

The Huskies rebounded from their lone loss of the season — a sweep by Iowa for the title of the NIU Invitational — to win the North Dakota State Classic last week. Senior hitter Mary Grace Kelly put down 23 kills and senior middle Jenna Radtke earned all-tournament honors as NIU capped the tournament with a 3-1 win over the host Bison.

Kelly leads the Huskies in kills (3.38 kps) and Radtke, the reigning Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Week, is second (2.81 kps).

NIU lost just one senior from last year’s team that won the regular-season MAC title, that being all-conference setter Alexis Gonzalez.

The Huskies are running a 6-2 offense, using junior Chandler Kinley and freshman Samantha Boever at setter.

NIU was picked to win the MAC West in the preseason coaches polls.

Coach Ray Gooden is in his 15th year (269-185) and passed former coach Pete Waite as the program’s all-time career wins leader with Friday’s sweep of Bradley.

NIU is 0-1 vs. Washington and has never played Hawaii or Utah Valley.

UTAH VALLEY (3-4)

After being swept in their first four matches, the Wolverines bring a three-match winning streak to Honolulu. UVU won its own invitational last week, with senior hitter Kiahna Vernon named the MVP.

Vernon leads a balanced attack in kills (2.57 kps). Three other teammates are averaging over 2.1 kills, including junior middle Madison Dennison (2.46 kps), who leads the Wolverines in blocks (1.46 bps). Dennison was the only UVU player on the WAC’s all-preseason team.

Freshman middle Jasmine Niutupuiwaha (Kahuku) has played sparingly in six matches.

Sam Atoa is in his 17th season (362-195) and has overseen UVU transition from the junior college level to a Division I independent to the Western Athletic Conference. The Wolverines were third in the WAC last season and picked to finish fifth in the preseason coaches poll.

Utah Valley is 0-1 against Hawaii and Washington, and has never played Northern Illinois.