By MATT GERHART Tribune-Herald sports writer ADVERTISING When it comes to doling out playing time, tennis coach Kula Oda’s job is easy. Everyone on the University of Hawaii at Hilo women’s team takes the court — and hopefully they avoid
By MATT GERHART
Tribune-Herald sports writer
When it comes to doling out playing time, tennis coach Kula Oda’s job is easy.
Everyone on the University of Hawaii at Hilo women’s team takes the court — and hopefully they avoid injuries along the way. The Vulcans carry six players, and with each pulling double duty, that’s just enough to fill out a singles and doubles lineup.
There’s no rest for the weary, but UHH soldiered on during a season-opening road trip in Arizona, going 3-3 heading into Saturday’s home match against Hawaii Pacific.
First-year Vuls Melanie Viriyapunt and Emelie Laussen have helped UHH recover after it lost its top three singles players. But Oda said a combination of budget constraints and economic factors have made it harder to attract walk-ons and build depth, so it’s all hands on deck.
“We don’t have the luxury of resting,” Oda said. “Last year, we played them in doubles, and if they were hurt I pulled them out of singles. When you spread the wealth, you’re able to save people and not get them so injured so quickly. They’ve been playing through the injuries. A couple haven’t been to the training room, but the other four have been pretty consistently in (the training room).
“But they’re battling. There’s something about knowing you’re going to be on the court every match. You prepare yourself every day knowing there’s no chance I’m not going to play.”
With nine players, the numbers are much better on a men’s team (2-4) that also lost three key contributors. Senior Carlos Quijano of Brazil has moved up a spot to No. 1 singles, senior Ryan Coffey is the team’s best doubles player, and a pair of Waiakea graduates, freshman Kaito Mizutani and sophomore Kallen Mizuguchi, have given UHH some stability at Nos. 3 and 4 singles, respectively.
In the first match of his career, Mizutani claimed a three-set victory last week at No. 3 singles to deliver the Vulcans to a 5-4 victory over Western New Mexico. Mizutani and Mizuguchi teamed up to win a Hawaii High School Athletic Association doubles title for Waiakea in 2010. However, Oda has resisted the urge to pair them in college because he doesn’t want to disturb the chemistry between Quijano and Mizuguchi, who have yet to lose this season at No. 2 doubles
“Kaito’s an attacker, a play-at-the-net type of person,” Oda said. “Kallen and Carlos like to play more at the baseline. They play a certain two-back style. To mix them up it didn’t work. They’re really good friends and they play this style really, really well.”
Mizutani joins Coffey as the top doubles team.
Oda says Viriyapunt’s ability to dictate points puts her “head and shoulders” above the rest of the roster. The junior graduated from Kapolei High School on Oahu before transferring to UHH.
“She’s a great striker and her timing is unreal,” Oda said.
Laussen, a freshman and one of two Swedes on the roster along with junior Anna Hamlin, pairs with Viriyapunt for doubles.
Freshman Chelsea Sato came to UHH on an academic scholarship. The Waiakea graduate initially wasn’t so sure she was going to continue her tennis career, but Oda is glad she did. Without her, the depth-deprived Lady Vuls would have to forfeit two games each match.
“We’re competitive at every position with the addition of (Melanie) and Emily” Oda said. “Staying healthy is an issue. We’re just balancing practice, taking it day by day and pushing them as much as we can.”
The men’s program is a few years removed from being on the chopping block, but due to a healthy dose of community support, it’s now found stable ground. The program will get another boost once the Pacific West Conference starts sponoring men’s tennis next season.
Oda says the program’s survived this far, he just asks his players to fight a little more.
“Every little thing, every little intangible is going to count for us,” he said. “Every match that we can scrape by is going to count. No one can take a day off.”
He has a singular objective in mind this weekend when the men’s and women’s teams take on the Sea Warriors at 1 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday.
“My goal with them is that whenever a team thinks of playing us, they’re not going to get a walkover,” he said. “They’re going to be in a battle and we’re going to make them work as hard as we possibly can.”
