One big hitter didn’t play, and another was still working her way back into the lineup.
It’s days like these the University of Hawaii most appreciates Olivia Magill.
Magill regained her efficiency and put down a match-high 15 kills Sunday as the Rainbow Wahine recovered from a slow start to defeat San Francisco 15-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-20 at the Outrigger Resorts Volleyball Challenge in Honolulu.
UH finished its preseason tournament schedule 6-3, though coach Dave Shoji noted his lineup is still very much in flux. That was especially true on Sunday. Tai Manu-Olevao sat out the match because of religious reasons.
“Just need to get in the practice gym and figure out a lineup,” Shoji said on the OC16 broadcast. “No more games on Sundays, so we’ll be more predictable, I think.
“I think we played enough people. We have people with experience, so nobody is going to freak out going in anymore.”
Magill, a junior middle blocker and reigning Big West Player of the Week, committed only one error and hit .560. Nikki Taylor made her first start of the season and added 14 kills, but Shoji was alarmed by her workload (41 swings). The sophomore, who missed UH’s first seven matches with an elbow injury, hit just .098.
“She took too many swings,” Shoji said. “We asked her to play middle-back. She hasn’t had any reps back there, but we just couldn’t get any production out of anybody else, so we had to leave her in.
“It’s sad to see her struggle out there a little bit, but that’s on me.”
Kalei Adolpho and Kalei Greeley added nine and seven kills, respectively, as UH hit .234. Taylor Higgins and Sarah Mendoza each tallied 11 digs.
Katarina Pilepic notched 13 kills for the Dons (5-4). San Francisco attacked at a .517 rate in winning the first set, finishing at .205.
UH closes out its nonconference schedule when it welcomes Northern Arizona for matches Friday and Saturday.
Soccer
Amanda Elsworth completed a hat trick by scoring the go-ahead goal with seven minutes remaining, and Idaho State rallied to beat the Rainbow Wahine 5-4 in Pocatello, Idaho.
UH (3-5) twice lost two-goal leads to the Bengals (3-2).
Freshman Sonest Furtado netted two goals, and the Rainbow Wahine looked poised to win their second straight road match when Kama Pascua scored off a Paige Okazaki pass for a 4-2 lead 11 minutes into the second half.
Storm Kenui had a goal for UH, which heads to the Montana Invitational for matches Friday and Sept. 21 (Montana).
