Team picture day, Kahakai status
Team finally found time to take a picture today, all with their hair down.
As for Kahakai, right knee sprain, doubtful for the weekend.
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Team finally found time to take a picture today, all with their hair down.
As for Kahakai, right knee sprain, doubtful for the weekend.
Just finished watching the USC-Wisconsin match with the Badgers winning. What caught my eye was the serving of Samantha Bricio. She, together with Micha Hancock of Penn State, are considered the best servers in women’s volleyball this season as they were last season. Both this season have more aces than service errors. What Hawaii servers can learn from Bricio is how conservative she is at least in one respect; all her serves are directed towards the middle of the court, almost never the sidelines. She depends on the speed and spin of the ball to get her aces. Sometimes she even takes something off the ball to make sure the ball stays in court. She had six aces in the match, by the way.
One of the mantra’s for Thursday practice was Serve In.
Another to both setters: Set Higher.
Da scandal, “Set Higher”.
W/O passes..it’s unheard of; middles need consistency.
OHs need holes to rip.
1. third straight loss for SC. they should be Maryland tomorrow.
Stanford-USD tied 1-1. Stanford pulling away in Set 3.
3. the comment was on consecutive sets to the middles, one side to Adeolpho, the other to Magill
IMO USC and Wisconsin both look very very beatable.
Higgins (5), Tai (4) and Mendoza (3) accounted for 75% of the wahine service errors against Toyota. Higgins accounts for 95% of the sets. This is a definitive issue. Im hoping the mantra cry heard in the preseason by coach shoji and his supporters will not be repeated in conference play, “we didn’t lose bad”. Look, most fans are rooting for the wahine to win as much as anyone. But, it aint going to happen with the usual suspect starters. Play the frosh! Especially Kendra, Huff and Maglio.
Again very talented Freshman Class…I can see why we were rated in the top 20 in recruiting classes. I love the idea of a 6-2 (especially with Frosh/Soph. setters or rotating Higs out especially after she works so hard at the service line and setting after 2 games. Yup “Set High” especially Magill. I would just work 15 minutes or mode every practice with Magill and the setters timing. It can be lethal once timing is made especially in BW play..Continued to be totally impressed with Greeley. Although not perfect and overpowering, she is pretty darn consistent, steady, and so poised for her age.
I can only imagine if N. Taylor was totally healthy and started season with the addition of Greeley and improved play/confidence of Tai….Anyways, we got a long season to go…and winter time sounds like a goal! Watching Washington play…Love the way they for there blocks especially how they move in unison…impressive!
usc looks VERY beatable, but Wisconsin looks tougb. Carlini is AMAZING. She can make the worst pass into a perfect set.
If you click on the photo there is another comment, how did get over there and not here ? Weirdest blog that I have ever seen. 🙂
No. 7: I realize that in these comment section people are entitled to their own opinions but, with due respect to you and other naysayers, please let the coach coach as he and his staff see the players everyday in practice and he wants to put forth the very best lineup possible to give the team a chance of winning but your continued negativity and clamoring for inserting and allowing the freshman to play is a decision im sure Shoji is well aware in practices and the reason they’re not playing is because they haven’t been consistent enough in practices to do what they are suppose to do in game time conditions. This is a team that’s a work in progress and the future and potential is so great so please be patient and the results will come out positive in the end. THE END.
I do not understand the drumbeat to play the freshmen. Was Emily Maglio that impressive in the match against Toyota Auto Body? Nope, although one can see her potential. In fact, most observers on this blog and VT stated that she looked lost when she was inserted though improved some later in the match. Was Kendra Koelsch better in placing hittable balls to the various hitters? Nope, no better than Higgins. Dave Shoji and Cindy Luis keep on saying that Koelsch needs to improve her location in practice and actual matches before she merits extensive playing time. Does any one pay attention? Nope. Does Megan Huff put up impressive hitting numbers when she is given the opportunity to play? Nope. In fact on offense she is invisible most of the time, but occasionally comes alive when blocking. Why this obsession in replacing proven players for unproven ones? I agree that this is one of the most impressive freshmen class to come in for a long time and it is unusual for Shoji to have two freshman, Kahakai and Greeley to have extensive playing time. Everyone should be patient, the freshmen’s time will come.
@ #11. are you that naïve to believe anything I or anyone who writes critical comment on Dave Shoji (not the other coaches I note) will have a deleterious impact on this wahine team? Dave Shoji takes accountability. Not I or anyone else. You have a right to your opinon, wise or otherwise. Which I note, But as to your implications of your rationale, you are silly. If you want to worship the shogun, that is your cross to bear. Not others. I have heard Coach Shoji’s comments and it does not allay what I SEE. I haven’t heard any coach speak. Only hearsay comments about both setters needing more work. IMO, He plays favorites and has “flexible” standards for the same. It is not an aberration for a coach to have favorites, most coaches do. However, when you lose, backlash is expected. Let’s see what happens in conference play. I sincerely believe this team can play better with different player components contributing. And, yes, under their mentor’s guidance. eh, Im rooting for Rome, not Caesar.
Oh please it’s not like The upperclassmen (Passi and Long) are putting up better offensive numbers than Huff. Huff gives opposing outside hitters trouble with her block. Maglio WAS impressive and will only get better. Koelsch’s location isn’t that far off from Higgins who struggles with location as well.
Watching the USC Wisconsin match gave me a feeling of nostalgia and a dose of reality. Wisconsin setter Carlini is tall, moves, and sets beautifully out of system.
Their hitters to include a couple of freshmen look like our Greeley (plus). Carlini runs the slide like it should be run and she makes it look so easy. They look like they belong with the Stanfords, Penn States, Washingtons, Texas… etc. in the top tier.
They look like they could give Washington a run tommorrow in Seattle. Our Wahine is good team but we need so much more to compete with these teams. I just hope we can get through our conference on top.
12. “Does Megan Huff put up impressive hitting numbers when she is given the opportunity to play? Nope. In fact on offense she is invisible most of the time, but occasionally comes alive when blocking. Why this obsession in replacing proven players for unproven ones?”
Long and Passi are UNPROVEN themselves and have even worse numbers then Huff. So yes, replace the unproven Long and Passi with a more reliable Huff. Even though her offensive numbers aren’t great, they’re still better then Long and Passi and she puts up a bigger block. Huff over Long and Passi to me at least isn’t even a question.
14. Warriorfan. What are you saying? That Maglio should replace Adolpho or Magill? That is ridiculous. If Koelsch is not placing the ball better than Higgins why would you change setters. That does not make any sense, replacing an experienced player who is a vocal leader of the team with an unproven and inexperienced one. What do you want? To actually start Huff over Manu-Olevao or Greeley or Taylor? Why talk of Long and Passi. They are not going to start from now on except possibly the Santa Barbara match when Tai will not be playing due to it being Sunday. Oh you are talking about the past. I’m talking about the future when the starters will be Magill, Adolpho, Manu-Olevao, Greeley, Taylor Mendoza, and the replacement for the injured Kahakai. Who do you believe should be replaced by a freshmen?
Never have I mentioned they should replace starters!!!!
I just want them to play more. They won’t be getting better standing on the sidelines all season dude.
Especially Koelsch, I want to see a 6-2 , use both setters strengths to solidify the position.
17. I personally wanna see Gianna play in the prime DS spot. As a Wahine fan, knowing she’s a walk-on for the SandBows too means that her playing time is 2 for 1. 🙂
#11. LC, so that’s where my comment went. I entered it around 400pm but didn’t see it here. Thought the blog admin. deemed it inappropriate to bring up “looks.”
7. it was an exhibition.
were you there or just looking at the stats?
20. you might have been trying to post when the site was doing some repair work. While at practice during the 4 o’clock hour, all I got was blank screens.
If memory serves me correctly didn’t Mita have problems getting the timing down with Kalei and Jade? Tayler has been pretty good at getting Olivia and Kalei much more attempts than the middles have gotten in years. Her timing and location with them is still a work in progress. She’s been a little above average with her sets to the pins but again a work in progress.
I remember during the telecast of the 2011 regional semi finals the female announcer said what Dave told her what he looks for in a setter is one with “Hawaiian Hands.” And Mita, as a sophomore had them. For all you experts out there – what does Dave mean when he says a setter has Hawaiian hands?
24. Sweet and soft. Joyce Kaapuni, Nahaku Brown, Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, Kanoe Kamana’o. etc
Cindy, sorry for the leading question. My follow up question is do you think either of our setters have “Hawaiian hands?” I know it took Dani a while to develop that trait but in opinion she finally got it.
In my opinion Robyn had the sweetest hands ever. I may be biased, I’ve always said Robyn is my all time favorite Wahine. To use an old cliché from my era, watching her play was like watching poetry in motion.
18. Warriorfan. If this is true why all the DRAMA? Surely you know that Shoji has in fact played the freshmen this year. So you want them to play more; certainly that IS a reasonable position, I agree. But look it from a REALISTIC position. The most important priority is for the Bows to win and not lose because the NCAA’s heavily reliance on RPI for both qualifying and seeding decisions for the postseason. Over-relying on inexperienced players increase the chance of the team getting upset by lesser teams. Shoji surely makes his decisions based on giving the team the best chance of winning, especially when you have a young, inexperienced team which is not an overwhelming favorite when it hits the floor as it was true in past years. Sorry, Hawaii is no longer expected to sweep easily undefeated through a WAC, Mountain West, or Big West conference. In fact Hawaii is now unranked, something that has not happened in a long time. Let Shoji coach without all the excessive drama and obsessive negativity please.
18. Warriorfan, the 6 – 2 doesn’t really utilize both setters strengths as much as it does the teams strength of front row size. With that I agree, especially when matches are in hand, Koelsch needs to get some floor time, heaven forbid an injury to Higgins. With that said, last time that I saw Koelsch get a play, she had a net foul, was subbed off immediately and if I am capable of reading faces, she has lost some confidence since the beginning of the season. Part of that is due I am sure to placing too much emphasize on blocking while she is in the front row, an easy adjustment playing the 6 – 2.
8. bleachercoach: “…how they move in unison.” This reminds me of what I considered to be the marked difference between the play of BYU vs UH at SSC in 2013: When BYU was on the offense, all six players would move to the net like a school of fish. I guess this was to cover any blocked balls. Perhaps that was the key to BYU’s sweep. Before UH gets to this point – and there is a lot of play between the pre-season (now) and the playoffs – I would hope that the coaches instill the value of communication between players going for the digs. This past weekend, I saw two players going for the same ball too many times for my comfort. Build this court sense at home soil before going on the road in a hostile environment. I was at the UH vs UW game in 2012 in which UW fans were hollering at the UH bench during *timeouts* to distract UH players from hearing the coaches. Communication between the soon-to-be established starters would also be extended to the sub’ed in players as a vital part of the practices.
25…cocbean
I have to disagree. Dani Mafua always had the hawaiian hands. Her sets were smooth. She needed to learn how to be a setter.
Cindy, I agree with cocobean’s assessment of Robyn being the best UH setter.
Her career after UH speaks volumes!!!!
That being said, I think this team has a chance to be really good.
Do you?
Is the setter on the same talent rising as the hitter?
Anyone else caught Dave on with Scott Robbs this morning? Gave his thoughts about the polls, the league, and making the NCAAs. Spoke about personnel – specifically about Kahakai’s injury – out 4-6 weeks, possible surgery, Magill – playing great, want her to learn to hit off of one foot, Nikki probably play her on the right for now, Tai has been money when set in system and Higgins – has played brilliantly at times and not so brilliantly at other times.
He did offhandedly mention he’s heard all the talk around town and what’s being said. Thought overall there was a lot of read between the lines comments.
30. Have said even before the season the team was going to be good. But they are young and there will be growing pains.
Robyn was certain great. Sad that more people didn’t get a chance to see Joyce Ka’apunui. it was very fortuitous for UH that the change to the NCAA from the AIAW allowed players with eligibility to be grandfathered in. She had two more years left and, at age 27 and 28 led UH to their first two NCAA titles
31. yes, pretty funny about the ‘talk about town.’ he came over after practice while I was finishing my story. asked if I was blogging. I did mention to him about the ‘resentment in his voice’ comment some that mentioned from the radio show.
He said he had no resentment, that he was trying to have a discussion with the caller who hung up. the caller said that going back to the same hitter meant predictability. His feeling is that setters, if their hitter is blocked, will go elsewhere, so that going right back to someone is less predictable.
and thanks for getting to Scott’s interview. Just got back in.
when they left the arena last night, there was no diagnosis, and were waiting on the MRI results.
everyone sees what they want to see … doesn’t matter if they’re a so-called “protector” or “detractor”
I know what I heard and I didn’t even go to Stanford for an overrated degree. 🙂
see new thread on Kahakai. and Mitchem.
Shoji said that they still haven’t seen the MRI and that, as of 10 a.m., Kahakai was out for at least 2 weeks. doesn’t know if surgery will be required. said he wasn’t sure who would be first off the bench as DS yet.
36. don’t know what you heard regarding what so …
As I said, I didn’t hear the interview this morning.
If you mean the coaches show. then it was your interpretation.
just passing along that it wasn’t his intent, and he said he wasn’t resentful.
Shoji did tell me that after the interview he was informed by the trainer that it was going to be at least 2 weeks.
Kimo Browner Dave may have favorites but saying that he plays “favorites” without hard substance, is only inciting unrest. The only pattern of favoritism I see, is that he always plays seniority or last year’s starters first. He appears also to be always critical and often hard on every player coming off the court in a game. Maybe, it’s his way of instilling the will to compete and win. It may sound cliché but the Oregon coach said in the SB, that he knew UH would come back even though they were down by two games – as it is the trademark of a Dave Shoji team. Many past players have alluded that Dave demands that you fight and compete hard on every single play – if you want playing time. Everyone sees what they want to see. I see “tough love” being instilled – especially to the new players.
^
eyes ROLLING!!