Kahuku Works To Improve Offense
By Jack Danilewicz
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Though her team remained unbeaten midway through the season, Kahuku head volleyball coach Uila Fotu-Vendiola still says they’re a work in progress.
“We’re definitely happy with the record, but we’re not satisfied with our performances,” said Fotu-Vendiola, whose team took a 7-0 record into the weekend. “Overall, we haven’t been very happy with the way we’ve been playing. We know this team is capable of doing much more. We’re not so much in a comfort zone as we’re trying to get everyone on the same page and adjusted to our expectations. We’ve been seeing some good things from some, and from others we need more.”
With that in mind, much is expected from the Red Raiders, who finished second overall in the OIA last fall before making a spirited run to the semifinals of the Division I state volleyball championships. With nearly the entire team back and intact this season, Kahuku was an undisputed favorite in OIA circles to compete again for the league title.
Now at the midway point for Red East teams, Fotu-Vendiola and the Red Raiders are reviewing their goals.
“We had a mid-season meeting last night which went well, and then we had a very intense practice. This team is so talented all the way around that when they’re intense, they play at a higher level.”
A lack of consistency also has been an issue in maintaining a level of play, she said.
“We’ve seen signs in every game, but nothing consistent enough to sustain us. Coming together as one team has also been one of our challenges. As an example, we’re trying to implement a much quicker offense, and it’s taking time for the girls to adjust. But we’re still winning, and the girls are excited about the second half of the season and the post-season.”
With second-place Moanalua only a half-game back of the Red Raiders entering last weekend, every game is critical for Kahuku in the Red East race. Their rematch with Moanalua is set for Sept. 30 at homecoming, but they know they must get by Roosevelt this Thursday on the road in order for the Moanalua game to live up to preseason expectations. Kahuku won the first meeting with Roosevelt 25-20, 25-18, 25-9 on Sept. 4, and Fotu-Vendiola is expecting another tough match this time around.
“They have some pretty smart hitters, so our blocking and our defense will be important, and we need to be able to run our offense effectively. Offense is something we need to improve on. We’ve been inconsistent. Our serving, more than any other aspect of our game, has been consistent.”
The Red Raiders are led by co-captains Nile Te’o and Jovan Falemalu.“They’ve both been very solid players for us, offensively and defensively,” she said.“They’re very focused.”
Kahuku also has regular-season games with Kalani (Oct. 7, away) and Farrington (Oct. 8, away). The OIA Red playoffs begin with first-round action Oct. 16.
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