Wahine volleyball team shows potential in Green-White scrimmage

A week removed from its season-opening volleyball match, Hawaii got a good look at what that first night against Gonzaga might be like.

Friday’s Green-White scrimmage was a mixed plate, with two scoops of potential and a side of raggedness, the good plays outweighing the bad, the effort and energy overriding some miscommunication and lack of focus.

The biggest surprises for senior opposite Angel Gaskin were the size of the Admission Day holiday crowd (an estimated 1,100), the traditional postmatch lei and how much at home she is already feeling in the Stan Sheriff Center.

“I think the fan base and support is really amazing,” said the transfer from Maryland. “It’s different. It’s bigger here. I’m not used to it.

“For just a scrimmage, it’s your parents and friends come. To have 1,000 people is really cool. I love the atmosphere. The culture is ‘My family is your family.’ That’s awesome.”

The left-handed Gaskin wowed the crowd with an unofficial high 13 kills playing for both the Green and the White. Senior hitter Casey Castillo and junior hitter Kirsten Sibley both had 11.

Second-year head coach Robyn Ah Mow-Santos played with combinations and positions, sometimes moving junior all-conference setter Norene Iosia to the outside while senior setter Faith Ma’afala ran the offense.

With several players not cleared to participate, the Green augmented its lineup with assistants Kaleo Baxter and Nick Castello. The Green ended with a 26-24, 25-23, 23-25, 16-14 victory after nearly two hours.

“The best thing tonight was the effort,” Ah Mow-Santos said. “We need to keep working on a lot of things. The one big thing is our middles, finding the two middles to have in there.

“We’re not going to win games setting mostly the outsides.

“Will we be ready (for Friday’s opener)? Yes, we will be ready.”

What may have been the biggest surprise — a pleasant one — was just how ready Hawaii’s three one-and-done senior transfers and a true freshman were to contribute immediately. Besides Gaskin’s offense, senior libero Tita Akiu was impressive on defense and senior Sarah Liva, who last played college volleyball in 2015, was solid in the middle. Liva had five block assists and a solo, while true freshman middle Kamalei Krug, coming off recent surgery, had four block assists and two solo.

“Our new people can contribute,” Ah Mow-Santos said.

It was the first Green-White scrimmage for Ma’afala, who wasn’t cleared to participate last season, “and my last,” she said. “That is bittersweet.

“Today was so much fun and it made me anxious for next week. Today the best thing was our energy, how we were coming together.”

“Communication is always something we can work on,” Iosia added. “We know we can do a lot of things way better. It’s the small things — keeping the ball in play, taking good swings, being on the same page.

“Our new people have really good presence. They haven’t felt like new people.”

The new season starts Friday with the Hawaiian Airlines Classic. The 4:45 p.m. opener has No. 11 UCLA taking on Kansas State, followed by the 7 p.m. contest between Hawaii and Gonzaga.