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The consistency of Hawaii senior libero Reyn “Tita” Akiu was recognized by the Big West on Monday, with the Kamehameha Schools graduate earning the conference’s defensive player of the week award in volleyball.
It was the second weekly honor of the season for the Texas Tech transfer, who had a match-high 19 digs in both of the Rainbow Wahine’s road sweeps at UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton last week. Akiu, averaging 4.19 digs per set, has had double-digit digs in 18 of Hawaii’s 19 matches; she had eight digs in the Sept. 29 sweep of UC Riverside at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Hawaii (13-6, 9-1 Big West) hosts Cal Poly (19-1, 9-0) in a critical conference match on Friday at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Mustangs moved up one spot to No. 11 in Monday’s AVCA Coaches Top 25 and remain the lone Big West team ranked.
Also on Monday, Hawaii dropped to 75 in the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index, down two spots from last week. The RPI is the computer-generated system that rates a team’s strength of schedule.
Strom-Okimoto gets offensive player nod
For carrying her team the closest it’s ever been to Big West tournament qualification at this point in the season, soccer senior co-captain Raisa Strom-Okimoto was honored by the Big West as the conference’s offensive player of the week on Monday.
The Aiea alumna’s hat trick in a 4-0 win at Cal Poly on Friday was the 13th in program history. Only seven Rainbow Wahine have turned the trick; Natasha Kai did it seven times between 2002 and 2005.
UH was shut out in a 1-0 loss at UC Santa Barbara on Sunday, but Strom-Okimoto kept things frisky with a couple of quality opportunities that the Gauchos narrowly turned aside.
Strom-Okimoto’s weekly award was her second of the season and second career.
Going into the final week of the regular season, she leads the conference in goals with 11 and points with 25.
UH (8-6-1, 3-3 Big West) plays its two biggest Big West matches to date this week, both at home: Thursday at 7 p.m. versus UC Riverside (11-2-3, 2-2-2) and Sunday at 2 p.m. against Cal State Fullerton (3-12-2, 0-5-1).
Tickets on sale for UH basketball teams
Individual tickets for University of Hawaii men’s and women’s basketball home games are on sale.
>> Prices for Rainbow Warriors games are $30 for the lower level, while upper bowl tickets are $18-20 for adults, $16-18 for ages 65-older, and $5-7 for ages 4 through high school.
Prices vary for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic (Dec. 22, 23, 25), while the Nov. 2 exhibition vs. Hawaii Pacific is general admission pricing.
>> General admission prices for Rainbow Wahine home games are $7 for adults, $5 for ages 65-older, and $3 for ages 4 through high school.
Tickets can be purchased online, at the Stan Sheriff Center Box Office (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or by calling 944-BOWS (2697) during those same hours. Manoa students with valid identification get in games free.
Fontes named to U-17 World Cup roster
Pearl City senior Sunshine Fontes was one of seven forwards selected by U.S. coach Mark Carr for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Fontes, who plays club soccer for the Hawaii Rush, is the U-17 WNT’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals.
Fontes, a UCLA commit, was the state player of the year as a freshman in 2016 and first-team All-State in 2017. She spent half of her junior season training with the U.S. national team.
The U-17 Women’s World Cup will be held in Uruguay from Nov. 13 to Dec. 1. The U.S. will face Cameroon on Nov. 14, North Korea on Nov. 17 and Germany on Nov. 21 in the group stage.
Tecklenburg, Moultrie honored by PacWest
Chaminade outside hitter Emma Tecklenburg was named the PacWest player of the week and Hawaii Hilo middle blocker Armani Moultrie was voted PacWest defender of the week, the conference announced Monday.
Tecklenburg, a junior from Plano, Texas, put down 37 kills with a .387 hitting percentage in victories over Academy of Art and Dominican. Moultrie, a junior from Inglewood, Calif., combined for 12 total blocks in victories over Holy Names and Academy of Art.
UH sailors place fifth in Newport Beach
The University of Hawaii coed sailing team finished fifth at the PCCSC Match Race Championship, which concluded Sunday in Newport Beach, Calif.
Stanford won the two-day, six-school regatta.
UH’s skipper was Michael Pacholski and his crew consisted of Mathew Butler, Annika Garrett and Patrick Wilkinson.
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