Kalei Greeley has several goals this week as No. 14 Hawaii heads out on its third Big West volleyball road trip. The junior hitter for the Rainbow Wahine is hoping to be back as a front-row attacker after being relegated to mostly back-row passing duties due to a slower-than-anticipated rehab from offseason shoulder surgery.

“I don’t like being the biggest DS there ever was,” the 6-foot-2 Greeley said of the defensive specialist position. “I have a new respect for DSs, have asked ours how do they do it. It seems like you’re less involved in the game when you don’t get to hit.

“I miss hitting and I’m hoping that this week I will get the chance.”

More importantly, Greeley is hoping that the visit to her hometown of Riverside, Calif., is a healthy homecoming. She grew up just 6 miles south of the UC Riverside campus.

As a freshman, she rolled an ankle in Set 2 against the Highlanders but returned to the match, finishing with 12 kills and 12 digs. Last season in the SRC Arena, Greeley went down in Set 1 with another foot injury and did not return, finishing with four kills.

“I’m hoping this year is a different story,” she said. “I love being back in Riverside and I think I’ve had more family and friends at the matches than (UCR) has had fans.

“The bye week was good for us — we are rejuvenated and ready to go again.”

Hawaii has not played since sweeping UC Davis on Oct. 16. It was a light practice week last week, with the focus on the Wahine’s side of net as they continue to work on solidifying a lineup.

“It was a good time to heal up some nagging injuries,” said Hawaii coach Dave Shoji, who is seven wins shy of 1,200. “This week the No. 1 thing is getting two wins.

“Hopefully we can play a consistent lineup and get a substitution pattern down. Next week will be very, very important.”

This week, Hawaii plays the two bottom teams in the Big West on the road in UC Riverside on Friday and Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. Next week, the Wahine host conference leader Long Beach State on Nov. 4 and seventh-place Cal State Northridge on Nov. 5.

There is no looking past the Highlanders or the Titans, Greeley said.

“We cannot take anyone lightly and we have to make sure that we don’t play down to their level,” she said.

Shoji said he’ll continue to use senior Annie Mitchem at both left-side hitter and middle blocker. The issue continues to be passing and “that keeps our whole lineup in flux,” he said.

As for using Greeley in the front row, “she gets better every week, but she’ll have to earn the spot back,” Shoji said.

Note

Hawaii again will travel with 14, with junior defensive specialist Gianna Guinasso and freshman DS/hitter McKenna Ross making their first trip of the season.