Ashton Jessee is happy, healthy, willing and able, and a few of those designations aren’t to be taken for granted on UH-Hilo’s volleyball team this season.
The freshman middle blocker from Alaska also owns the Gene Krieger seal of approval, and that shouldn’t be taken for granted either.
“I wasn’t her biggest fan,” said Krieger, the Vulcans’ first-year coach, “and I told her that. I told her she had some things to work on.”
Consider some of that work done.
Jessee was recruited by former coach Tino Reyes and signed with the Vuls as a high school senior last November. A few weeks later, Reyes was let go, leaving Jessee in somewhat of a precarious position, especially considering the vote of no confidence she received after her new coach saw her play in a mainland tournament.
“I didn’t want to come in weak,” Jessee said. “I wanted to make sure that I was going to be a strong asset to the team. Not just coach, but to the other girls, too.”
These days, Jessee describes herself as just one of the girls on a happy-go-lucky team. She’s held her own and more, stepping up as UH-Hilo (8-11, 5-7) deals with a rash of injuries.
At 6 foot 3, inches tall, Jesse is just one of four Vulcans to play in all 19 matches this season, and she ranks third on the team in overall kills and second in blocks.
“I’ve told her she’s exceeded expectations,” Krieger said. “I’m pleasantly surprised with how well she’s done as a freshman.”
She’ll be counted on more than ever the next few matches.
Still short-handed, UH-Hilo tries to end a three-game losing streak at 7 p.m. Friday at its gym against a Notre Dame de Namur team that figures to be looking for a little payback and is also riding a three-game slide. At 7 p.m. Monday, Concordia (11-8, 7-5), fourth in the conference standings, visits the Vulcans’ gym. The Eagles take a seven-match winning streak into their contest Friday night at Chaminade.
At South Anchorage High School, Jessee also was a promising softball player, contributing to teams that won consecutive state championships.
“Softball had always been my first sport,” she said, “then sophomore and junior year, volleyball started to creep in. They’re even now.”
In home losses last weekend to Dominican and Chaminade in which UH-Hilo was missing four players to injury each game, Jessee led the Vulcans in kills and blocks, including a career-high 16 kills against the Penguins.
“It’s a little difficult,” Jessee said, “because you practice with them all season and all of a sudden you have three people out after our road trip, and then after the first game back you have four out.
“It’s an adjustment, and we’re definitely missing them.”
The high-water mark of UH-Hilo’s season might have come during a four-set win against Notre Dame de Namur (11-10, 6-7) on the road Oct. 9.
“That was probably one of my favorite games,” Jessee said. “A lot of fun.
“There was a lot of energy, and we as a team played really strong against them. They were ranked higher than we were and we came back and won. Overall, it was just really a strong game.”
On the injury front, the Vulcans will welcome back two key pieces, at least in doses. Junior libero Mina Grant, who was second in the PacWest in digs before sitting out a three-set loss Oct. 21 to Chaminade, and freshman setter Sha Rae Niu, who missed the past two games, are slated to return for “some participation,” Krieger said.
“Modified active duty,” he said.
On the outside hitting front, the news isn’t as good. Leading attacker Siera Green (out the past two games) and Lucee Fitzgerald (out the past five) remain sidelined indefinitely.
The lack of offensive firepower last weekend was to be expected, but what surprised Krieger was that UH-Hilo, which entered fourth in the conference in blocking, only managed a combined eight blocks.
“That was just unfathomable,” Krieger said. “Just blocking poorly.
“We certainly addressed that enough this week. We have done enough reps that it should be back to normal.”
Jessee, fellow middle Kiley Davis and company will need to be at their best going up against the Argonauts’ Bianca Alvarez, the PacWest leader in kills. The Vuls were able to withstand the 5-11 senior’s 17 kills on 61 attempts in the last meeting, though Krieger was quick to point out that Green (23 kills, 19 digs) played a paramount role in the victory.
“We’ll be playing six on one,” Krieger said. “In some ways it’s easier because you have one person to focus on, but in some ways it’s harder because you know she is going to get hers no matter what you do.”
“Ashton did well in that match,” Krieger said of the prior battle against Alvarez. “A steady dose of Ashton throughout the match (Friday).”
Note: Honoring the battle against breast cancer, anyone wearing pink Friday night will get in free of charge.
