Wahine Volleyball - Shoji says no job is safe after Wahine's first loss

Share your news and views about University of Hawaii Basketball, Volleyball, Baseball, and All Other UH Sports
Post Reply
seasider
Hall of famer
Hall of famer
Posts: 2440
Joined: Tue Nov 16, 2004 11:31 am

Wahine Volleyball - Shoji says no job is safe after Wahine's first loss

Post by seasider »

http://www.staradvertiser.com/sportspre ... =325300521

Shoji says no job is safe after Wahine’s first loss

To open the above link you need to be a digital/print replica subscriber to the StarAdvertiser.

Bottom line, no matter what coach Shoji says, the following Wahine, barring injuries, will continue to be starters at their current positions:

Nikki Taylor, Kalei Greeley, Olivia Maquill, Savanah Kahakai, and Taylor Higgins

Outside:

Nikki Taylor 5.00 K/Set 105K 40E in 220 attempts, hitting % at .295, leads with 8 SA, 8 SE for a serving % of .900-She needs to maintain this % or serve at a higher %, 2.43 Dig/Set, 1BS 27 BA for a 1.33 Blk/Set. If she maintains these numbers, she’ll be a definite 1st team AA. She’s definitely the best pin-blocker in the nation, and if she improve on her over-all numbers, POY is within reach.

Kalei Greeley 2.43 K/Set 51K 12E in 153 attempts, hitting % at .255, 3SA 6SE for a .903 serving %-She needs to improve on her SA to SE ratio, 4RE in 106 attempts for a .962%, 2.14 Dig/Set, 1BS 9BA for a .48 Blk/Set. Kalei and Savanah are the best passers on the team.

Manu-Olevao 2.50 K/Set 45K 22E in 106 attempts, hitting % at .217, 3SA 11SE for a serving % of .593, 3RE in 64 attempts for a .953%, 1.17 Dig/Set, 2BS 7BA for a .50 Blk/Set.

Megan Huff .86 K/Set 6K 2E in 23 attempts, hitting % at .174

McKenna Granato .18 K/Set 3K 3KE in 20 attempts, hitting % at .000

Casey Castillo only 1 attack attempt

Tai Manu-Olevau’s career have been very inconsistent from the get go. No pun intended to Tai, but she has produced more Lows than Highs-For naysayers, please check out her stats the last three years. Heat and more heat works a majority of the time on the high school level, but, not on this higher level of women’s D1 volleyball. This is her last hurrah, but has yet to show that she has developed a wide array of shots.
I realize Megan Huff have basically been Nikki Taylor’s back-up. I understand she’s been practicing as a RS, but, IMHO this reluctance to start Huff on the left shouldn’t be the sole-reasoning for keeping her on the bench. The time has come, for coach to finally realize that Tai’s inconsistent stats dictates that she should be replaced by a taller OH, i.e. Huff at 6-3. When Huff rotates in the back-row she should be replaced with either Granato or Castillo, or go small, i.e. UCLA this past Sunday evening with a DS (Anderson, Guinasso or Ponce). IMHO Granato will come out of her funk and produce. I see big things for ahead for Granato and Castillo.

Setter

Effective Blocker: Tayler Higgins 0.52 Blk/Set; Kendra Koelsch 0.14 Blks/Set

Jump serve: Need Tayler’s jump serve to keep the defense on their heels. She has 5 SA but leads with 13 SE and serving at a .857%-that to me is not acceptable numbers. If she can keep her serve in at a .950%, the Wahine will win this coming Friday versus Florida.

Bottom line, versus UCLA even though the passing was up and down, and there were still a lot of sets that were hit long, wide or straight into the block. Plus UCLA’s back-row were playing lights out, digging balls that normally would’ve have been kills. I’d stick with Tayler Higgins as the lone setter, and bring in Kendra Koelsch for that spark off the bench or when Higgins’ head is not in the game.

Middle blocker

Olivia Magill 2.81 K/Set 51K 14E in 122 attempts, hitting % .369-need to be set more and hit for >4.30%, 2BS 30BA for a 1.52 Blk/Set-Improve to >1.75 Blk/Set than she’ll definitely make 2nd or 1st team AA.

Emily Maglio .62K/Set 19K 9E in 53 attempts, hitting % .189-this is the weak part of her game (MB2 should complement Magill by hitting for a >.350%), 1BS 18BA for a 1.36 Blk/Set-at this point of the season, Emily’s blocking has been strong and will only get stronger. With added strength/quickness, improved hops, and arm-swing Emily will be force in the middle.

Annie Mitchem with limited opportunities attacking the ball, probably is the most versatile Middle Hitter. She can hit the quick in front and in back of the setter, and quick to the outside (slide/step-out). Bottom line she need to be on the court.

Hopefully this will be the starting lineup starting this Thursday:

Outside: Kalei Greeley 6-2 Jr/*Megan Huff 6-3 So
Opposite: Nikki Taylor 6-4 Jr
Middle Blocker: Olivia Magill 6-1 Sr/**Annie Mitchem 6-3 Jr
Setter: Tayler Higgins 5-9 Jr
Libero: Savanah Kahakai

*Replaced by Granato when she rotates to the back-row
**Use Mitchem as a 4-rotation player, and sub her out after serving with either Granato/Castillo or go small with a DS.

User avatar
Irse
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 14093
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2004 8:06 pm
MLB: Cubs
NFL: Cowboys
Location: Mililani, HI

Re: Wahine Volleyball - Shoji says no job is safe after Wahine's first loss

Post by Irse »

Taylor has been pretty awesome so far. I didn't watch the UCLA match so I don't know how she did then.
ImageImage

User avatar
Irse
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 14093
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2004 8:06 pm
MLB: Cubs
NFL: Cowboys
Location: Mililani, HI

Re: Wahine Volleyball - Shoji says no job is safe after Wahine's first loss

Post by Irse »

Congrats to the Wahine in upsetting the Gators
ImageImage

Post Reply