These waters are unchartered. The first half of the KIF volleyball season is in the books, and, for the first time ever, a girls team other than Waimea looks to be the favorite to represent the island at the state
These waters are unchartered.
The first half of the KIF volleyball
season is in the books, and, for the first time ever, a girls team other than
Waimea looks to be the favorite to represent the island at the state
championships.
Kaua’i firmly established itself as the team to beat,
downing the Menehunes in both of the schools’ first-half meetings. The second
half of the season gets underway Wednesday night when Kapa’a travels to
Waimea.
“We’re excited about what the girls are doing here,” Red Raiders
coach Richard Roberts said. “It’s certainly not over yet, but it is the first
time we’ve every won the first half of the season, the first time we’ve been
out front.”
Kaua’i won the second half of the 1999 KIF season, forcing the
first playoff in island history. The natural progression has turned the Red
Raiders into the favorite.
Kaua’i is getting expected solid play from its
seniors, namely top-of-the-line setting from Rona Nishikawa. But the play of
junior Tiana Lum-Tucker has been just as important.
“We’ve gotten great
play from our outside hitters (Lum-Tucker, Danielle Kiyabu and Kehaulani
Regidor),” Roberts said. “We’re just going to work on consistency.”
Which
will surely be necessary as the reigning island champs are not likely to go
without a fight.
“We’ll be ready for the second half of the season,” Waimea
coach Dr. Paul Arrington said last Saturday. “It’s going to be
interesting.”
