It’s become a common refrain for Tino Reyes. ADVERTISING It’s become a common refrain for Tino Reyes. If only his University of Hawaii at Hilo volleyball team could have played like this against other teams, those matches might have turned
It’s become a common refrain for Tino Reyes.
If only his University of Hawaii at Hilo volleyball team could have played like this against other teams, those matches might have turned out differently.
The Vulcans stepped up their play Saturday night in Reyes’ eyes, but against a superior opponent, BYU-Hawaii, which cruised to a 25-19, 25-18, 25-21 victory at UHH gym.
“That’s the No. 4-ranked team in the country,” Reyes said. “People don’t know that.
“(Shih Ting Chen) didn’t play as good as everyone has seen her play, but she is still effective.”
The three-time Pacific West Conference Player of the Year dazzled the Vulcans earlier this year on Oahu, but she was somewhat mortal Saturday with 12 kills and 17 digs.
However, it was middle blocker Erh Fang Tsu who was otherworldly, putting down 15 of her 22 attempts for kills with only one error for the Seasiders (11-3, 8-0 Pacific West Conference), winners of eight straight.
“The middle got away,” Reyes said. “The girl we concentrated on was (Chen).
“We can only defend one. Pick you poison.”
While Hsu was attacking at a .636 clip, the Vulcans (4-8, 3-6) hit only .114.
The ever-reliable Kyndra Trevino-Scott balanced six kills against six errors at middle blocker as she switched into a hybrid role, changing positions in the back row.
“I had to figure out how to keep our best players on the floor,” said Reyes, who added that four of Trevino-Scott’s errors came as she was adjusting to her new role.
Outside hitter Marley Strand-Nicolaisen missed her third straight match with what Reyes termed a nagging injury, but he was hopeful she’d be back by Thursday as the Vulcans prepare to go back-to-back-to-back against three upper-echelon PacWest teams.
California Baptist is the first of three matches in three nights, and Dixie State and Azusa Pacific follow.
“I don’t know. It’s going to be difficult,” Reyes said.
Without Strand-Nicolaisen, Callie Aberle (nine kills, .195 hitting, 13 digs) and Morgan Lees (seven, .133) continued to carry the load at outside hitter Saturday.
It was the kind of effort Reyes wished he’d seen more of on a recent 1-3 California road trip, but it wasn’t nearly enough against a PacWest powerhouse.
“If we played like the way we played tonight, I don’t think we’d lose a game (in California),” Reyes said. “We played pretty good for us.”
Cross country
Hilo graduate Kaylee Rapoza led the Vulcans on Saturday at the Chaminade Invitational on Oahu, finishing 23rd in the 5-kilometer run with a time of 22 minutes, 31 seconds.
The Vulcans finished fourth. Shelby Tanaka (23:02) was 23rd in the 32-runner race, June Garrett (23:17) placed 27th, while Jordan Concannon (24:40) and Megan Washburn (26:10) finished 30th and 31st, respectively.
Hawaii Pacific’s Fiona McKenna (18:15) took medallist honors.
