No excuses, UH-Hilo volleyball coach Tino Reyes told his hitters, deal with the hand you’re given. ADVERTISING No excuses, UH-Hilo volleyball coach Tino Reyes told his hitters, deal with the hand you’re given. They did. The Vulcans dropped the first
No excuses, UH-Hilo volleyball coach Tino Reyes told his hitters, deal with the hand you’re given.
They did.
The Vulcans dropped the first set Friday to Montana State-Billings, before roaring back at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase in Carson, Calif., “finally getting over the hump” for their first victory of the season.
The set scores – 21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-19 – directly corresponded to UH-Hilo’s ability to cut its hitting errors each game: nine, five, four, two.
“I told our hitters that if they don’t like the set they are getting, they still have to try and put the ball in play,” Reyes said. “I put it on our hitters.”
The Vulcans were in danger of letting Game 4 get away until Marley Strand-Nicolaisen responded with four kills and an ace, and she put away the match on her serve, with Sierra Green’s kill securing match point. Strand-Nicolaisen, a former Ka’u star, slammed 20 kills on .320 hitting with four aces and 12 digs, Green (.323) posted 14 and Kyndra Trevino-Scott added 11 (.391).
The Yellowjackets (1-5) of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference were led by Miranda McConnell, who needed just 19 swings to tally 14 kills, hitting .526.
The Vulcans won every major statistical category, with Mina Grant equaling a career-high of 35 digs and Sienna Davis coming up with 45 assists.
UH-Hilo (2-2) followed that up later Friday with a 27-25, 25-22, 18-25, 22-25, 15-12 victory againsy Seattle Pacific in which in which Strand-Nicolaisen put down six of her season-high five kills in the fifth set.
UH-Hilo completes play at the tournament against Humboldt State on Saturday.
“We just need to play a little more intelligent,” Reyes said, “and understand how we can win games and cut down on unforced errors.”
One Vulcan already playing with a high volleyball IQ, Reyes said, is freshman hitter/blocker Kayla Balezentis of Austin, Texas. Balezentis hit from the right side for the last two sets and responded with seven kills. Balezentis also played well Thursday in a loss against Cal State Dominguez Hills, earning more playing time.
“She makes something out of nothing,” Reyes said. “She can play all the positions.”
Prepping deep in the heart of Texas has helped her make a smooth transition to the next level.
“Texas is one of the best places to recruit,” Reyes said. “She played a lot against Division I players. She’s not afraid of any of them.”
