Ann Kang VB Tourney Revitalizes Kahuku’s Evolving Team
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usBye weeks can be a blessing or a momentum-stopper depending on how a team fares in its next game.
For Kahuku girls volleyball head coach Uila Fotu-Vendiola, last week’s open date was a time to solidify combinations in the lineup.
“We’re always fortunate to have very talented people,” said Fotu-Vendiola,whose team was 4-1 in OIA East Red conference play entering this week’s critical three-game stretch with Moanalua, Roosevelt and McKinley. “We have to work with the pieces of the puzzle. We make changes a lot and tweak our lineup. We sometimes move players into positions they’ve never played before. We’re always a work in progress.”
It all came together a year ago as Kahuku won an OIA title and advanced to the state volleyball championships, where it suffered its only loss of the season to eventual runner-up Punahou in a semifinal match. The team’s first loss of 2009 came in its first game of the season, a bitter 26-24, 25-14 loss to Moanalua. It has rebounded nicely since, beginning with eye-opening play in the Ann Kang Invitational (where it finished second in a field stacked with Mainland teams) before going on to win four straight in the East Red.
“I think we’re about where we thought we’d be,” she said. “The Moanalua match put things in perspective for us. We were able to learn from it and move forward.Any loss at any time, and you’re going to evaluate your team.Better (to lose) earlier (in the season) than later.
“Ann Kang was a good experience for us to come back and play as well as we did. That really helped us rebound from that loss.”
Kahuku was to get a second shot at Moanalua Tuesday before turning its attention to Thursday’s game at Roosevelt and a home date with McKinley on Saturday.
“It’s a big week for us. The key for us is to prepare ourselves this son to this, she’s improved a lot, and she’s not at her peak yet.”
Seniors Elizabeth Blake and Liza Domingo, who hold down spots at setter and libero, respectively, also have figured big along with sophomore outside hitter Tatiana Brown. Rachel Fonua, Michaela Afoa, Ho’onani Apo, Jasmine Vivas, Tyra Williams, Teuila Nautu, Tara Domingo and Melissa Heimuli round out the team.
In the loss to Moanalua opening night, Kahuku wasn’t just done in by a good Menehune team, but also by self-imposed miscues. The good news,the coach said,is that their mistakes are correctable.
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