Wednesday checkin: Kahakai not traveling
Shoji said this morning that they didn’t feel Kahakai was 100 percent. So they’re taking Anderson and Ponce again. Asked him about Guinasso, he said next trip.
Continue to be impressed with Huff’s back-court abilities. She passes well.
Maglio has been working on the slide, definitely a different look that what Adolpho gives.
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Cindy what is the difference of Malio and Adolpho slide? How does Huff’s back court abilities enhance the team overall?
Maglio is a little quicker, Adolpho hits a heavier ball.
Huff being able to play six rotations gives them another 3-meter attacker.
Won’t be on the blog for a while. Am at the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame press conference to do a story.
no cindy for a bit … in the words of breakfast club … “… it’ll be anarchy!” 😉
who is next in line to be libero? — after mendoza and since kahakai has been unavailable. ponce or anderson? i don’t recall that i’ve ever seen ponce in serve-receive, but i remember that anderson has been a couple times. or does long slide into that role (although her passing has been solid and suspect at times).
watching the best ladies VB programs nationally on TV for over 5 years, lady huskie libero, Cassie Strickland is a classic prototype. At 5-9 she has a wicked jump serve, can dig/return bullet serves and passes brilliantly. She is aggressive to the ball and is all over the court. She is as tough and good as a libero can get.
As a 12 yo, she was the star player for her pop warner football team.
bummer! … wish’d he chose to take baby G ~
I’m sorry but Strickland is not that impressive, in fact I think she’s one of Washington’s biggest weaknesses.
Ditto. I feel bad for her.
wonder if that is ned trip or next trip hmm….
Agree, Strickland at libero isn’t anything to write home about. Her serve is pretty good though.
also surprising that shoji changed his mind on kahakai. but i guess he wants both a server and a passer to deal with the toughest trip in the conference. kahakai can heal and practice more which means mendoza needs to be at least 50% faster as libero for csun and the beach. i guess next trip to irvine and fullerton would be closer for baby g since theyre both in the oc where she from.
5. good question about who would be the libero on this trip after Mendoza.
I think I’d go with Anderson. she covers more ground IMHO.
10. yes, next, was typing on the iPhone.
12. He had always said she’d play if she were 100 percent. He doesn’t feel she was. So I don’t see it as changing his mind.
Don’t understand your issue with Mendoza and the percentage. She has played amazing defense. This is her first year as a full-time libero, something she hasn’t played since 2011 since she red-shirted 2012.
Also don’t think it has anything to do with the next trip being closer to where Guinasso is from. Long Beach is closer to Huntington Beach than Fullerton is. Granted Irvine is closer than Northridge but it’s the 405. people are used to driving.
Maybe Shoji doesn’t feel compelled to take Guinasso since it is my understanding that she is playing only one year of indoor. So he is grooming the girls that are staying with the program longer. Just my thoughts. Go Bows.
13. the issue of mendoza is and even dave admits is that shes slow. visibly she was slow up to the match until last vs irvine. how i perceive slow is, shes looks too slow to be a libero and is more like a defensive specialist like she was last year. now, i dont expect her to be as fast/good as ali longo but she just looks too slow and sometimes have to be prodded or alerted by the others to get to and dig the ball. granted she might have dug a considerable high number on paper before but as shoji said there were balls that they could of dug.
the percentage was something i kind of assigned as a needed/reasonable number that she needs to increase her speed by since with kahakai out, she is expected to do all the work during the match with csun and long beach. i kind of said she needed to be 30% faster during the game with fullerton especially with the resulting opening set down 1-7. she needs to 50% faster or na wahine will be trouble.
ahem she mendoza the libero needs to be 50% faster than she is now vs csun and long beach or na wahine will be in trouble.
also yes about the location to huntington beach. was assuming that next trip would all be in orange county which is where that is and though long beach is closer to huntington beach but movement/traffic is probably less efficient. and the 405 is known to be one of the worst freeways especially in that area from la to the oc (think carmageddon)
15. have never seen her have to be prodded to go after a ball. There have been times when there was confusion over who was to take the first ball. someone saying ‘yours’ is hardly prodding. I’d call that communication. She is also the designated second setter on off plays and when the setter plays the first ball so there’s a lot of talking going on out there.
17. actually prodding is putting it lightly, more like noticably physically pushed by another player to get the ball. it happened a few times. im sure it doesnt happen if at all anymore since irvine but im talking about from the getgo since ohio
i even recall the last time that happend i saw tai having to give mendoza a little push that the ball is going down. i think that was the first match vs nau.
15. Don’t know what your issue with Mendoza is. She’s doing a great job. Yes, we’re used to those with super quick feet like Ilustre, Watanabe, Lee, Maeda and Longo, but the fact that Mendoza has good numbers on paper means she’s digging a lot. And she’s averaging 4 digs/set. That’s as good as Longo’s and Watanabe’s numbers. Yes, she could be faster, but she still is the best option for libero. That’s why they’re taking two other DS, so they can help her if needed.
You also have to remember that Shoji uses the libero differently. I think Longo is the only libero in Shoji’s tenure who was asked to cover as much court as she did. Even Villaroman and Ilustre, both national team products, were not asked to cover as much court.
Anderson has a great opportunity to show, that is, if Shoji gives her a chance.
We will not dominate CSUN or the Beach. Wahine will need to keep fresh legs in these two back to back matches. I will be shocked if she plays sparingly.
7, 9…I agree!…I feel sorry for Baby “G” since she is from California…but if 14 is correct I could understand..other than that I would think she would be a pretty solid backcourt indoor since she a pretty phenomenal sand player..obviously she must be able to make plays being a top sand girl. Again when given the chance I bet she is or can be a “baller!” IMO just from watching her very limited play, she has the swagger to be a top libero or ds….Too bad she may only play indoor 1 year….that should be the only reason why she is not included. On the other hand, I am so happy for Ponce getting her shot. She has paid her dues and stuck it out as a walk-on. She epitomizes a true character many athletes lack today. She has waited years for an opportunity and it has arrived. Despite her tiny stature, she has been doing a good job serving and digging in the absence of Kahakai…Anderson too has done all you could ever ask for as a walk-on freshman…No doubt they both have filled in admirably…Keep up the good work girls!
Mendoza is doing just fine. Get off her back she is playing her butt off. Coach Shoji has her in there for a reason. All these young players are developing and will get better in time even the players that struggled early in the preseason. None of you know better than the coaches on the capabilities of each player.
mendoza is ok. she works hard and is steady but she is slow and a libero is supposed to be faster. her speed is that of a defensive specialist as is she before. she doesnt have to be super fast or anything expected like longo but bottom line she needs to pick up the pace. remember that she was relieved as libero during the match vs asu.
24. i agree with 23. Let it go.
She wasn’t the libero against ASU in Set 3 of the second match of the season.
BUT she started Set 3 as the DS. They were down 2-0 and they were looking at a way to settle down the passing.
18. we obviously are seeing different things. and I’m court side.
Seen a lot of players get pushed, mostly to get out of the way. Doubt very seriously if it’s done to get a player moving to the ball. That’s not how it works. If really pushed, a player potentially goes down instead of going to the ball.
But again, please let it go.