It’s the first of the last for the seniors

It’s the first of the first for the freshmen.

The last Division I women’s volleyball team to play its first away match hits the road today hoping the road doesn’t hit back. Hawaii (8-5, 2-0) packs a six-match winning streak as it heads to the mainland today for matches at the two bottom teams in the Big West: Cal State Fullerton (4-11, 0-3) on Friday and UC Riverside (8-7, 0-3) on Saturday.

The Rainbow Wahine aren’t concerned about hostile crowds — the Titans are averaging 132 at home, the Highlanders 211. The concern is how this team, which struggles with slow starts, will handle the lack of support from the thousands who have attended the 13 matches in the Stan Sheriff Center.

“Our focus has to be better because we are playing in a different facility,” sophomore setter Norene Iosia said. “We won’t have our crowd behind us. It comes down to us holding each other accountable.

“How do we make it happen? I honestly don’t know. We all talk about what we need to do. The frustrating part is we know that we can play way better than how we are playing. The coaches have done a really great job of getting us ready. We need to do it on the court.”

Traditionally, Hawaii draws well on the road and, more often than not, has more fans than the hosts. Freshman middle Sophia Howling knows that first hand, having attended a number of the Wahine matches in California as a high school senior at Venice High.

“I remember that from last year, with more of our fans there,” said Howling, whose second career start came last Saturday against UC Davis. “It will be interesting to see how we adjust to not being in ‘The Stan.’ “

Howling is one of nine on the 14-player travel roster from California. All are expecting to have dozens of family and friends at the away games, particularly senior hitter Kalei Greeley, who is from Riverside, Calif.

“This is always my favorite trip,” Greeley said. “It’s sad knowing it’s my last one. And it’s going to be different with the twins here and I’m the one at home.”

Greeley’s younger twin brothers — quarterback Karson and tight end Kade — are members of the Rainbow Warrior football team that has an Aloha Stadium date with Colorado State on Saturday.

While Kalei Greeley has been playing mostly back row as she continues to rehab from offseason shoulder surgery, senior Kendra Koelsch has been adjusting to playing in the front row for the first time in her Wahine career as an outside hitter instead of a setter.

“I’m still working on my approach,” said Koelsch, who made her first career start as a sophomore setter at UCR in 2015. “It’s been hard to get that timing down.

“But I’m focused on getting better and getting my team better. Starting off better is part of that. Think we’re thinking so much about it that our mind-set is making us do the exact opposite. If we would play how we practice we could be really good but we haven’t seen it. I don’t know what it takes to turn it on. Maybe it’s time but we’ve got to hurry up.”

Note

Not traveling this week are sophomore middle Natasha Burns and freshman defensive specialists Rika Okino and Janelle Gong.