Aloha ball never felt so good.
It wasn’t just about sweeping Coastal Carolina. Nor about Hawaii avoiding its first 0-3 start since 1980.
It was about finding the fight when down 9-1 in Set 3, finding consistency after two ragged efforts last week against Kansas State, and finding that all-important communication when changing its passing formation and continuing to alternate its offense from one-setter to a modified two-setter system.
It all came together Thursday night for the Rainbow Wahine volleyball team in a win over the Chanticleers (1-3) in 86 minutes, 25-17, 25-21, 25-17. A Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 2,826 saw senior hitter McKenna Granato put down a match-high 15 kills for her third consecutive match in double figures and sophomore middle Sky Williams have a career night from the service line with three aces after having none last season.
“It was exciting to be watching on aloha ball, waiting to see who was going to get the kill or the block to end it,” said Williams, who added five kills on 10 swings with no errors. “As for my serving, it was a little nerve-wracking. Last year, I could not serve a ball to save my life.”
Williams had all three of Hawaii’s aces, as well as three of the team’s 11 service errors. That was the trade-off for the Wahine who had been working all week in practice on serving more aggressively.
“I think we can serve tougher, but it was better (than last week),” Wahine coach Robyn Ah Mow-Santos said. “I’m happy with the win, happy with a 3-0 win.
“I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit nervous with us being 0-2. Morale was down a little bit, but we showed what I was looking for. That fight. Hawaii has always had a team that fights, never gives up. When we were down 9-1 (in Set 3), I wondered, ‘Are we going to dig deep?’ ”
Hawaii did. Behind the serving of sophomore defensive specialist Rika Okino, the Wahine dug out of the 9-1 hole to close to 10-9.
The next time Okino was back on the service line, Hawaii was two points away from the sweep (23-17). Okino’s bump-set to Granato meant match point, and Granato sealed it with her 15th kill.
“It was nice to finally get the win,” Okino said. “Fighting through all the adversity of last week (with the hurricane and schedule changes) felt good.
“We hope to bring that momentum into (today’s) match.”
The teams meet again at 7 tonight.
Hawaii’s focus had been on itself, wanting to improve both blocking and serving. Prepping for Coastal Carolina meant a focus on left-handed opposite Anett Nemeth, who was named both the Sun Belt’s freshman and offensive player of the week on Monday.
Nemeth didn’t have a kill until early in Set 2 and finished with a team-high seven, hitting negative-.077. She came into the match averaging 4.5 kills a set, with 12 or more kills in the previous three matches.
The Wahine outdug the Chanticleers 45-39, with junior Norene Iosia, used as a setter and hitter, finishing with a team-high 13 digs to go with 17 assists. Senior libero Tita Akiu, anchoring a two-player passing formation, had 12 digs.
Hawaii needed just 20 minutes to win its first set of the season, doing it in convincing fashion — a balanced attack with three players with three kills apiece and an efficient .370.
Nemeth had no kills on nine swings, hitting negative-.556.
Two kills by Williams helped the Wahine pull away for good at 10-8. Leading 20-17, Granato’s third kill jump-started a 4-0 closing run.
Nemeth picked up two early kills but never got out of negative as the visitors trailed most of Set 2. A kill by Granato had Hawaii enjoying a 19-14 lead, but, as happened last week, the lead was not safe.
The Chanticleers traded setters, bringing in freshman Ann-Katrine Hakansson for senior Sara Boothe, and went off on a 5-0 run to tie at 19. Granato’s eighth kill sparked a 3-0 spurt that had the Wahine taking the lead for good, with Williams’ fifth kill sending Hawaii into the locker room up 2-0.
The Wahine left the energy there, coming back out flat, quickly falling behind 7-1. At 10-3, Hawaii rallied behind Okino, closing to 10-9.
The Wahine tied it at 11 on a block of Kyla Manning by Williams and senior opposite Angel Gaskin and finished it out with a 14-6 run.
