Known primarily for their connection at the net, Amber Igiede and Kate Lang also relish contributing in the back row.
Ask Igiede, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker, about popping up digs and the University of Hawaii sophomore breaks into a wide smile.
“It’s so rewarding having digs as a middle blocker, because that’s not our true role to play back row,” Igiede said. “Practicing that is really fun and rewarding.”
Lang, a freshman setter, similarly revels in producing at a position perhaps not typically associated with defense.
“I love it. I take so much pride in being a setter and playing defense because everybody’s like, ‘Setters don’t know how to play defense,’ or whatever,” Lang said. “I think it’s so fun. I’m actually obsessed with defense.”
While Igiede has established a reputation for hammering Lang’s sets to the court, the duo’s determination in keeping the ball off the floor has helped the Rainbow Wahine maintain a place among the Big West’s top defensive teams.
Conference leading UH (16-6, 13-1) enters tonight’s match with UC Irvine (15-10, 8-7) as the Big West’s top blocking team and ranks second in the conference with 16.52 digs per set. The Rainbow Wahine are subsequently holding opponents to a league-low .182 hitting percentage as they return to SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center for this weekend’s homestand.
Igiede’s production in the front and back rows led to her first Big West Defensive Player of the Week award on Monday. She posted 12 blocks in last week’s road trip and tied a career high with three solo blocks at Cal State Fullerton. Igiede also had 14 digs during the trip, with eight at Fullerton and another six against Long Beach State.
In her more customary role up front, Igiede leads the Big West with an average of 1.29 blocks per match in Big West play. As a team, UH tops the conference with 2.54 blocks per set.
“We practice pressing low and tight. We’ve been practicing the timing of the block, talking to each other as we go up and jump,” Igiede said. “I think it’s so nice have us being on the same page.”
Igiede earned All-Big West honors in her first season of beach volleyball in the spring and Lang credited playing outdoors in the past for helping her develop her defensive skills.
Lang has nine matches with double-digit digs, including the last five in a row. She enters tonight’s match third on the team with 2.88 digs per set behind libero Tayli Ikenaga (3.39) and outside hitter Brooke Van Sickle (3.32).
“I love playing sand volleyball, so that’s where I really get to play some defense and have fun with it,” Lang said
Offensively, Igiede has hit a league-best .374 since Lang took over full-time setting duties at the start of the Big West schedule.
They were below that mark at Cal State Fullerton, when Igiede had five kills in 15 attempts. But the connection was far sharper the following night as Igiede put away 11 kills in 14 attempts with no errors for a career-best .786 performance.
“Kate is such a great setter, she has a really good communication with us,” Igiede said. “Communication can be verbal or non-verbal. It could just be eye contact between us and we just know we can be on the same page. It’s just constant feedback after every set. I think that’s what’s been helping us.”
The Rainbow Wahine face UC Irvine today and UC San Diego on Sunday in their first home matches of the season without a cap on attendance.
The Rainbow Wahine dropped the first set of their first meeting with UC Irvine and fought off a set point in the third to rally to a 20-25, 25-20, 27-25, 25-15 win on Oct. 9 at the Bren Events Center.
Outside hitter Joy Umeh led the Anteaters with 15 kills that night and ranks third in the Big West with 3.82 per set. Umeh is complemented in the middle by Onye Ofoegbu’s 3.07 kills per set. Ofoegbu is third in the conference with a .398 hitting percentage and second with 1.31 blocks per set.
BIG WEST VOLLEYBALL
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
UC Irvine (15-10, 8-7 BWC) vs. Hawaii (16-6, 13-1)
>> When: Today, 7 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum OC 16
>> Radio: 1420-AM/92.7-FM
>> Tickets: etickethawaii.com
>> Entrance requirements: Proof of vaccination and health check on LumiSight UH app. Masks required. Only clear bags allowed.
>> Parking: $7 (no passes)
