In her heart, there’s always an underdog mentality.
Punahou is No. 1 in the state, but a girls volleyball state title has been elusive in recent years. Lulu Uluave doesn’t care about in-season rankings.
“It’s easier being an underdog. I think there’s no pressure. It’s harder to stay on top and maintain it than coming from below with nothing to lose,” the senior libero/outside hitter said. “With this year’s team, (Punahou fans) should expect more than we had to offer last year. It’ll show.”
On a good day, the Buffanblu will show up in full force at Hemmeter Fieldhouse for home matches. She hopes there will be many good days and nights.
“It would be great to have a full house. We always welcome it. This year, we have a lot of new people. I don’t know how they’ll get fueled up, but I think they’ll love it,” Uluave said.
Punahou is 14-1 in nonconference play and opens the ILH regular season tonight at Hanalani. Coach Tita Ahuna puts full trust in senior leaders like Uluave.
“Lulu is a fighter, very athletic and very skilled. She’s a great leader, as well. Her teammates follow her. She leads by example,” Ahuna said.
As usual, league rivals Kamehameha and ‘Iolani occupy the other spots in the top three.
“I remember seeing her play in club during her middle school years,” Kamehameha coach Chris Blake said. “She was highly skilled and had a high volleyball IQ. She also was very consistent in her skills, very confident, and let her play do the talking for her. As she has gained more experience, she has been able to read the situation well and be able to recognize what she will need to do in order to be successful. She has also found ways to adapt her game as needed.”
Moanalua has pushed Punahou to the max in preseason, losing three-set matches in two tournaments.
“When I first saw Lulu play, I was impressed at how much ball control she had in serve-receive and playing defense,” Moanalua coach Alan Cabanting said. “It was uncanny how she was able to see the ball and the play develop, and be in the right spot to make the play. Teams that attacked her when she was a freshman found out right away that she is mentally tough and could stay in it. Her passing and defense have gotten even better. She is definitely going to be one of the top liberos in college. She reminds me of (former Kamehameha libero) Keonilei Akana. A smaller player, but makes the most of her size. A very dynamic hitter, knows where and when to attack, and very sound defensively.”
Lulu loves basketball. It was true on day one, still true today. In fact, Uluave, committed to BYU volleyball, still thinks this: “I’m going to play basketball this season.”
It’s a familiar theme among volleyball stars as they begin senior year. Why not play hoops? Their futures are aligned with the volleyball universe, so why not have a little fun before then? In fact, the last All-State girls volleyball/basketball player was Alohi Robins-Hardy of Kamehameha. Since then, the emergence and dominance of club volleyball on Oahu has been on full display. The days of athletes thriving in the two sports at the high school level are no more.
“My first sport was basketball when I was 7 years old. I loved it. That was my first love. I traveled for it and I really took it competitively until volleyball came in,” Uluave said. “I stopped after sophomore year. The basketball coaches were understanding. I do miss it at times. I’m thinking about playing.”
Saige Ka‘aha‘aina-Torres gave it a try after an All-State volleyball Player of the Year senior season (2017-18) at ‘Iolani. The 6-foot outside hitter worked out with the Raiders’ top-ranked hoops team, was fantastic for a week or so, tweaked a knee just a bit. That was the end of her prep basketball career.
This year, Moanalua’s Malu Garcia has hinted that she might play basketball this winter, joining her friends on the team.
Uluave? Coaches on the Punahou campus have said many times in the past few years that she is unstoppable on the basketball court. Punahou has chased ‘Iolani and come up short for years. Uluave could be the difference-maker.
Ahuna was a supreme three-sport athlete in high school (Kamehameha) before becoming an All-America volleyball player at Hawaii. The possibility of Uluave playing hoops for Punahou is borderline electric for Buffanblu fans.
“I love it,” Ahuna said.
‘Iolani volleyball coach Kainoa Obrey remembers Ka‘aha‘aina-Torres’ tweaky situation. It could have been worse. His advice?
“Stay healthy,” he said.
Of course, every December marks the start of club volleyball season.
Injuries can happen in either sport. The difference is that college volleyball coaches can live with a volleyball injury.
“It’s tough,” Obrey said. “I understand the kids want to play and do everything their senior year, but when your future is waiting, you’d like to be as prepared as you can to give yourself the best chance to play right away as a freshman. Get strong and perfect your craft. Ultimately, the kids have to figure out what’s best for them and make a choice from there.”
Sticking with volleyball, arguably one of the most strenuous year-round commitments of any sport, has been a blessing.
“At first, two sports was very manageable, but in high school, my body couldn’t handle it. I made the choice to drop one. If I get the chance to play basketball again, I’ll enjoy it. It’s the balancing part that’s the hardest,” she said.
For now, Uluave’s focus is on a volleyball title in the rugged ILH, and, hopefully, a state crown.
Punahou is balanced, deep and unified. Uluave is now one of the leaders as a senior, and though the team is fairly young — sometimes “silly,” she says — the vibe is always just right.
“It’s kind of funny. When (Coach Ahuna) started coaching us my sophomore year, she would ask, ‘How’re you feeling?’ We’d say, ‘Irie!’ It just makes us feel loose for practice and we’re ready to get to work,” Uluave said.
Her path to Provo was destined.
“I did have other choices, but with BYU, it stuck out to me from the jump they were the most adamant and the most caring. They’d come out to my tournaments, to Durango (Invitational). They showed effort constantly through my whole process,” Uluave said.
It’s early, but she hopes to major in business or physical science.
“I want to own my own business or become a PT (physical therapist),” she said.
When Uluave graduates, she will be the last of her family’s five children to earn a Punahou diploma. Semisi Jr. was the first, a jovial, bone-crunching offensive lineman with notable singing talent to boot.
Alama, the second sibling, is on the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad. Sina plays volleyball for SMU. Supeli is on a church mission in Madrid.
With the daily round trip from Laie — Lulu Uluave is at the wheel this year after getting her driver’s license — winning championships in multiple sports might be her parting gift to the school she and her family love.
“The difference this year is that feeling of settling down and cherishing my last moments here. Hopefully, leaving something for Punahou, showing my gratitude that I got to be in this program and school,” she said. “The biggest thing for my family and I, all five of us attended Punahou. We all gained an opportunity greater than what is in a high school.”
It boggles the mind to imagine how much better Kahuku volleyball would be if volleyball players stayed home regularly, the way football players have stayed on or returned to the North Shore.
“Kahuku has a great athletic program, really good, raw athletes there, but there’s more experience outside. There’s nothing wrong with staying, but seeing my siblings, you can see the difference how they’re prepared and how they take on college,” said Uluave, who has a 3.6 grade-point average. “Shout out to my parents (Semisi Sr. and Caroline) and my family for always supporting me and what I love. They always have my back.”
LULU ULUAVE
Punahou volleyball • Senior
Q&A
>> Top 3 movies/shows
1. “The Office.” “I’ve seen ‘The Office’ 20 times. It’s an (nine)-season show. I just love rewatching it.”
2. “Titanic”
3. “Matilda”
>> Top 3 food/snacks/drinks
1. Barbecue chicken pizza, CPK
2. Spicy ahi poke, Foodland
3. Oreo peanut butter cookies
>> Top 3 homemade foods
1. Chicken curry by mom (Caroline)
2. Teri burgers by dad (Semisi Sr.)
3. Spaghetti by auntie (Fi Muti).
“I can try to make these, but it doesn’t taste the same. I can grill the teri burgers.”
>> Top 3 music artists (and your favorite song by each)
1. Maoli – “Every Night Every Morning”
2. Josh Tatofi – “Perfect to Me”
3. Nesian N.I.N.E. – “Honey Do”
>> Favorite class: Science
>> Favorite teacher: Mr. Jacobi, seventh grade (Kaimuki Middle School).
“He was a P.E. teacher so in home room there was a ping pong table. It was really competitive.”
>> Favorite athlete: Elena Oglivie, ‘Iolani/Stanford
>> Funniest teammate: Ava Ahokovi. “She always has a story to tell about her day and it’s always funny. She’s a great storyteller.”
>> Smartest teammate: Rella Binney. “She’s taking all these AP classes and she’s breezing through them.”
>> GPA: 3.6
>> Time machine: “I’d want to travel in the future to see my family, what they look like.”
>> Hidden talent: “I can move my ears.”
>> New life skill: Driving. “I’m learning how to drive standard. My friend is teaching me.”
>> Bucket list: “I want to go skydiving. I would like to travel to New Zealand, Canada and Spain.”
>> If you could go back in time, what would you tell you younger self? “Enjoy being young. Enjoy the moment.”
