The UH-Hilo’s volleyball team’s road trip lasted a little longer than expected. ADVERTISING The UH-Hilo’s volleyball team’s road trip lasted a little longer than expected. Not that the Vulcans are going to complain. UH-Hilo fought off nine match points Saturday
The UH-Hilo’s volleyball team’s road trip lasted a little longer than expected.
Not that the Vulcans are going to complain.
UH-Hilo fought off nine match points Saturday night, including a 14-10 deficit in the fifth set, surviving for a memorable 25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 15-25, 23-21 victory against Dominican in San Rafael, Calif.
“I don’t know how we won that game,” coach Tino Reyes said.
For starters, the Vulcans (11-8, 9-7 Pacific West Conference) were gritty and opportunistic.
“We grew up a little bit,” Reyes said
Staring at four match points and the prospect of a 1-3 road trip, Marley Strand-Nicolaisen’s kill extended the match and the Vulcans took advantage of three Penguins errors to come all the way back.
Dominican (6-13, 3-13) took five more leads, but Shelby Harguess came through with a pair of kills and Morgan Lees, Strand-Nicolaisen and Hannah Marang had kills to tie it at 20-20, and kills by Strand-Nicolaisen – who posted a match-high 26 – and Marang finally ended the match.
“We made more plays late in the match than we sometimes make in entire matches,” Reyes said.
He said something crazy would have to happen at the top of the PacWest for the Vulcans to have a chance to reach the postseason.
Of course, craziness ensued Saturday night.
“This is about the wildest thing that has happened since I got here,” Reyes said.
Marang and Lee chipped in with 14 and 10 kills, respectively, for UH-Hilo.
Aimee Steinwand smacked 20 for Dominican.
The Vulcans finish the home portion of their schedule Thursday against Point Loma and Saturday against Dixie State.
Soccer
The Lady Vulcans finished the season with their eighth loss in 10 matches, falling 3-0 to Hawaii Pacific in Honolulu.
Tiani Teanio made nine saves for UH-Hilo, (5-9-3, 4-9 PacWest), which tied for 10th in the 14-team league.
The UH-Hilo men’s team finished the year on a five-match winless streak, losing 2-0 to the Sharks.
Cassidy Dixon made three saves for the Vulcans (4-12-2, 3-8-2), 11th in the PacWest.
Softball
Tayana Mata homered, Jennifer Iseri drove in three runs and Keiki Carlos collected a double and an RBI single among her three hits as Hawaii beat UH-Hilo 9-3 at the Kama’aina Tournament in Honolulu.
UH collected 19 hits – 14 off Vulcans starter Danielle Wilson – and Brittany Hitchcock worked six inning, allowing seven hits, two runs and a walk with one strikeout.
Cristina Menjivar drove in two runs for UH-Hilo, including an RBI double. Wilson went five innings and was touched for six runs with a with a walk and a strikeout.
