The Rainbow Wahine sweep Chaminade in a fall exhibition Monday night gave first-year Hawaii women’s volleyball coach Joshua Walker a full look at his roster, as all 15 players saw the court at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Hawaii rolled 25-20, 25-16, 25-10, then the teams played a fourth set with the outcome long settled. Walker, hired less than three months ago, said he was encouraged that adjustments from the practice gym carried over to game action and that the blocking improved from one in the first set to seven for the match.
“As we got through the match, the things we’ve been working on, people started making adjustments,” Walker said. “Things got cleaner as we got more comfortable. Very glad we had this exhibition.”
Fourth-year senior transfer Panna Ratkai led UH with 13 kills, and co-captain Miliana Sylvester hit .625 with 11 kills and six blocks. Setter Adrianna Arquette steered the offense to a .319 attack percentage, frequently connecting with Ratkai and Sylvester.
Rainbow Wahine sweep Chaminade highlights
Chaminade’s Tabby Allen posted six kills, but the Silverswords were limited to minus-.035 hitting. Hawaii closed the opening frame on a 7-3 push, finishing it on a successful touch challenge following a swipe kill by Cha’lei Reid. Ratkai tallied eight kills on 18 swings in the first set, while Sylvester added six on 11 swings in the middle.
Under a new NCAA rule, teams stayed on the same side of the court for Sets 1 and 2. Walker adjusted the lineup for the second, inserting newcomer Maeli Cormier on the right and sliding Reid to the left in place of Tali Hakas. With added size and Sylvester involved in every block, UH increased its block total to three in the set. Reid chipped in four kills, and 6-foot-3 freshman middle Rachel Purser ended the frame with her second kill.
Despite 16 service errors through two sets, Hawaii controlled the match. The Rainbow Wahine cleared the bench in the third, using all 15 players. Freshman setter Manon Baudrillard of Paris logged six assists in limited time with steady placement. Freshman hitter Mano Antiga, a 6-foot attacker from Lublin, Poland, was the last to enter and sealed the sweep with an ace that kissed the tape and fell on Chaminade’s side.
The teams played a fourth set that UH won 25-13. No official statistics were kept for that frame.
Weather disruptions and next up for UH
UH’s planned weekend trip to Hilo for an exhibition and keiki clinic was canceled because of Hurricane Lala, and the team did not practice Sunday. Co-captain Sylvester said some players lost power and were scrambling for food, but many arrived early Monday to get extra reps and shore up serve-pass before first serve.
Hawaii opens the regular season in the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic on Aug. 28 against Georgia Southern. The change in plans comes after a recent Rainbow Wahine exhibition canceled amid tropical storm threat earlier this month, underscoring how weather has already shaped UH’s preseason preparations.
Fans can find more information on the University of Hawaii athletics site and purchase tickets through Eticket Hawaii ahead of the season-opening tournament.
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