Caylen Alexander asserted herself as a force at the net and the service line by … well … not forcing things.
A scoring threat in both roles early in her University of volleyball career, the Rainbow Wahine freshman got off to a bit of slow start last Saturday against UC Riverside when her first serve sailed long, the second landed wide and the third found the net.
“Everyone was just telling me to relax, it’s fine. I think I was trying to put too much pressure on it,” said Alexander, UH’s team leader in service aces.
Instead of pressing for aces, Alexander focused on “taking my time and flowing with the serve.”
When she stopped trying to chase aces, one came to her in the midst of UH’s comeback from a eight-point deficit in the second set. Her rhythm flowed into the front row with four kills to help fuel the Wahine rally and another seven in the third set, when she effectively put the match away with five kills in a span of seven points as part of a 12-1 UH run.
Alexander’s 15 kills in her first error-free hitting performance of the season led to her second Big West freshman of the week award and the bounce-back provided a point of emphasis entering UH’s conference match today at Cal State Fullerton.
“This week I’m just focusing on keeping in my rhythm and just making sure I start off strong,” Alexander said on Thursday. “A big thing is keeping the same swing and staying consistent and staying true to how I play volleyball.”
Alexander has officially started five of UH’s 10 matches, but is effectively part of the starting group. Defensive specialist Talia Edmonds has started recent matches in the back row with Alexander entering when Edmonds’ spot rotates to the front.
She’s proven productive in her one rotation in the back row with a team-high 17 service aces and her average of 0.47 per set is good for third in the Big West.
Alexander hadn’t played much in the back row with her club program in Georgia, but worked on her serve before heading to Hawaii. She continued honing it during preseason training camp when the UH coaches gave the Wahine “equal opportunity. Everybody gets a chance to play anywhere,” Alexander said.
Once the season started, “I realized it was pretty effective when we stayed playing and I was acing some people who were known for being good passers,” Alexander said of the low, flat serve that often seems to tie up opposing passers. “That’s when I noticed it could be a good serve, and I’m just continuing to work on it, but then again not trying to put too much pressure on it.”
In the front row, Alexander was on target last weekend either firing down the line or on sharp cross-court angles and enters today’s match third on the team in total kills (97) and kills per set (2.69) behind junior middle blocker Amber Igiede and fellow outside hitter Riley Wagoner.
As she’s found her groove in the Rainbow Wahine system, the UH coaches are hoping she’ll find her voice in calling for the ball.
“We’d like her to be a little more (assertive),” UH assistant coach Kaleo Baxter said. “But she’s getting more and more comfortable as the season progresses just in her role on the team, becoming almost a go-to attacker for us and a point scorer. The more she wants the ball, the sky’s the limit for her.”
While eye contact with setter Kate Lang can sometimes communicate Alexander’s demand for the ball, being more vocal on the court is an area she’s continuing to work on.
“During club it wasn’t an issue,” she said. “But now since everything is going so fast, you really have to talk out loud the whole time.”
Just as Alexander worked through her slow start against UC Riverside, the Wahine (5-5, 2-0 Big West) collectively overcame a bout of frustration on their way to the sweep to close their homestand.
They anticipate a similar challenge in today’s matchup against a Cal State Fullerton defense that can tax the patience of opposing teams.
“Just remembering that volleyball is supposed to be fun, and having rallies is part of the fun,” Lang said of countering the frustration against a team that thrives on extending points.
“I’m really trying to focus on that this week. I wish I had focused on that more during the Riverside game, for sure, because that’s what volleyball is supposed to be.”
Big West women’s volleyball
At Titan Gym; Fullerton, Calif.
Hawaii (5-5, 2-0 Big West) vs. Cal State Fullerton (8-3, 2-1)
>> When: Today, 4 p.m.
>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7-FM
>> Live stream: ESPN+
