Wahine volleyball team re-energized after undignified loss

Good things, it is said, come in threes. However, some may question the good that came out of the first of last week’s trinity, that of what was described by one Hawaii player as not “dignified.”

It was 104 minutes of “not us” volleyball, junior defensive specialist Kyra Hanawahine said of the Rainbow Wahine being swept at Cal Poly last Friday, 25-22, 26-24, 25-15. Hawaii hit a season-low .105 and looked bad in doing it for much of the Big West contest inside Mott Athletics Center.

“That wasn’t Hawaii volleyball,” the Kamehameha Schools graduate said. “I feel like the loss wasn’t dignified.

“If we had given all we had but still lost because they were the better team, it would have sat better. The way we lost … we know we can beat that team. We have all the skills, all the talent. That was the frustrating part.”

Which led to the chain reaction of the next two of the threes. Hawaii had a three-hour soul-searching meeting after the match then made the 100-mile drive down to UC Santa Barbara, where the Wahine won in three, taking all that had been said and taking out their frustrations on the Gauchos, who had been 15-1 coming into Saturday’s contest in the Thunderdome.

That 103 minutes of the 25-20, 25-22, 25-19 sweep have No. 22 Hawaii refocused and re-energized heading into this week’s two home matches at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Wahine (14-3, 4-2) first face UC Riverside (5-12, 1-5) Friday in their Dig Pink Night for breast cancer awareness, then UC Davis (12-7, 4-2) Sunday, which is the 25th anniversary celebration of the Stan Sheriff Center.

Both will be emotional. Friday will be more personal for some; among the Wahine who have been affected by breast cancer are junior Sky Williams (losing her godmother), Hanawahine (her tutu had it) and coach Robyn Ah Mow (both her grandmother and mother were diagnosed with the disease).

“It is cool we can support the cause,” Williams said of Dig Pink Night. “My godmother was my rock, my go-to person, my second mother. “And being part of the 25th anniversary will be awesome.”

But first Hawaii needs to take care of business with the same intensity it had against UCSB and the same resilience it displayed in its last appearance in the Sheriff Center. The Wahine rebounded from the stunning reverse sweep by UC Irvine on Oct. 4 to reverse sweep Cal State Fullerton.

Is Ah Mow concerned about the Highlanders and Aggies?

“I get concerned about every team,” the third-year Wahine coach said. “We know everyone is going to play their best against us, play crazy defense.

“For us it is most definitely mental. In that meeting, the coaches asked the girls, ‘What do you need from us? Before UCI we were 12-1. At what point did your confidence go?’ Obviously, we’re down two hitters, but they were still getting it done without them. It’s about coming in mentally tough and confident.”

A key difference against UCSB was the lineup switch that had freshman middle Tiffany Westerberg making her first start as a right-side hitter. Although the 6-3 Westerberg had just one kill and one block, she played a huge role when slowing down one of the nation’s kill leaders in 6-2 Gaucho senior Lindsey Ruddins.

Ruddins would finish with 12 kills against Hawaii, but she had only two in Set 1. It set the tone the rest of the night and, the Wahine hope, carries into this week.

“Everyone did some self-reflecting in that meeting,” Hanawahine said. “If you’re in a rut or struggling, what can you do to get out of it so that our whole team can benefit instead of suffering.

“Personally, I felt I was tentative when serving. I told myself after Fullerton I need to be aggressive. Being tentative isn’t going to put my team in the position to be successful.”

Hanawahine’s serving in Set 3 against the Gauchos proved to be a game-changer. Hawaii was clinging to a 14-13 led when the Oregon transfer went to the service line; when she was done, she had doubled her season ace total with two and the lead was 20-13.

“I feel like we’ve come back to our shared values,” said Williams, who had seven kills with just one error and was in on two blocks at UCSB. “It’s about wanting it all over again. Refine and rebrand ourselves.”

Note

Sunday’s celebration includes “throwback ticket pricing” of $7 for adults. Tickets must be bought online (etickethawaii.com). Mini cupcakes also will be given to fans exiting the arena after completion of the match.

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BIG WEST VOLLEYBALL

At Stan Sheriff Center

Friday, 7 p.m.

>> Dig Pink Night (breast cancer awareness)

>> UC Riverside (5-12, 1-5) at No. 22 Hawaii (14-3, 4-2)

Sunday, 5 p.m.

>> Stan Sheriff Center 25th anniversary

>> UC Davis (12-7, 4-2) at No. 22 Hawaii

TV: Spectrum Sports (Ch. 16/1016)

Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7-FM (Friday), 1500-AM (Sunday)

Series: Hawaii leads UC Riverside, 25-0; leads UC Davis, 13-1