Seniors Kawai Ua, Lexi Paglinawan, and Kailee Kurokawa won’t be at Hilo forever, so coach Drew Fernandez turned Saturday’s second set over to many of his reserves.
Game 2 may not have gone as smoothly as planned, but it allowed the Vikings to showcase that they are quickly developing into Fernandez’s deepest team yet.
Of the 15 players listed on Hilo’s roster, 13 posted at least a kill or an ace as the Vikings eased past Konawaena 25-7, 25-18, 25-10 in a BIIF volleyball match at the Vikings gym.
“I feel like everybody can play, it depends on how confident they are in themselves,” Fernandez said.
Paglinawan had a big first set and finished with 10 kills overall, and she and Ua (eight kills) each took a breather in the second set.
In what can only be described as a first-world problem for Hilo (5-0), the Wildcats (3-2) reeled off nine consecutive points — courtesy of McKayla Ventura’s serve and Cherilyn Molina’s hitting — to take the lead before Fernandez went to his bench to help straighten the reserves.
“The reserves were performing at practice, and I wanted to get them as much time as possible,” Fernandez said. “They showed some great stuff in the beginning, but it was getting close so I had to make some changes.”
Paglinawan was summoned, and she and junior opposite Taina Leao each put down two kills as Hilo reeled off the last eight points of Game 2. Freshman Taylor Canon (three aces) and sophomore Leiali’i Makekau-Whittaker (four kills) also provided a spark. Leao finished with seven kills.
“I saw a lot of frustration, but as a bench we tried to pick them up,” Ua said. “We all feel that bond and connection.”
The match pitted the reigning BIIF Division I and Division II champions, but Konawaena is a team in transition after losing Celena Molina, the 2016 D-II Player of the Year.
“We love that challenge, but it’s also good to have one (Molina) left,” Fernandez said.
With three Molina sisters, including Chanelle, in 2015, the Wildcats featured the best team on the island, but on Saturday the difference in the teams’ firepower was evident. Hilo had six players post a kill before Molina smacked one for the Wildcats.
“Definitely not the fight I wanted to see,” said Wildcats assistant coach Joe Wong, who was filling in for coach Ainsley Keawakane. “I told the girls that.”
Konawaena’s two full-time club players, both seniors, were easy to detect: Molina finished with eight kills, but as her team’s only big hitting threat it made it easy for Hilo’s block to hone in on her, and Ventura served six aces.
“I actually miss playing against (all three Molina sisters), they were great competition,” Ua said.
The match was the least competitive when Paglinawan and Ua were able to set up shop near the left tape and take big swings.
That Paglinawan finished with more kills was largely a function of the fact she was in the front row in the first set as Hilo reeled off seven consecutive points on Ua’s serve. The well-rested Ua hammered balls in Game 3, making for a quick finish.
“Hawaii Prep is the team to beat in Division II,” Wong said. “We need to take these Division I teams as prep for (HPA).”