And the Hawaii match keeps getting interesting.
Last night, the Wahini played LA Tech, and of course, won in 3. However, in the last game, Hawaii standout and right side starter Jessica Keefe went up to kill the last point and came down. And fell to the floor having injured her knee.
She's had 2 surgeries on this knee in the past and now she is listed as doubtful for tomorrow's match. According to the Honolulu Advertiser, they are trying to fly in junior reserve Caroline Blood. Hawaii has already lost 2 starters this year to injuries. (According to volleytalk, Caroline Blood left last night and will meet up with the team in El Paso.)
This team was tired, having only arrived 6 hours prior to game time. Perhaps that's what did it. Maybe now officials will take a look at travel restrictions and make it a little easier for teams to travel earlier. It was a 12 hour trip for them. From what I've read, they had difficulties getting flights scheduled so that they could arrive earlier.
New update, courtesy of an avid volleyball fan screenname blikeke who visits the Crimson Storm website:
Injured starter Jessica Keefe a MB and presently the right side hitter will be replaced by Freshman Amber Kaufman.
Amber came to Hawai'i ranked 25th in the country.She is presently 3rd on the depth chart at MB and 2nd at the right side behind Keefe and she also can play the left side as she did briefly against La Tech. Amber has done very well so far in her 14 appearances with 31 kills 17 blocks and hitting .418 but she is also still learning the game at the D1 level. For a freshman she doesn't get rattled easily and all I can say is any girl who has tattoos on the inside of her lips scares me. She will also be on the Hawai'i track team. She is a highly ranked high jumper who had the 6th highest high jump in the country last year and has cleared 6' feet in pratice.
5'9 back up setter Cayle Thurlby also plays the right side and back row and might share some playing time on the right with Amber.
Caroline Blood that they talked about flying in is a precaution not a replacement for Keefe, she's a junior reserve not a redshirt. She has seen limited action but has surprised everyone in what little playing time she has seen so far.Hawaii has other options in replacing Keefe including moving left side hitter Sahara Mason to the right and Kaufman to the left. Right now no one knows what we will see.
The team left La Tech early this morning after a good nights sleep and will stay in El Paso using UTEP facilities. They will drive to Las Cruces a few hours before the match.
They are presently on a schedule in which they play 7 matches in 11 days crossing 5 time zones twice.
posted by Melanie Brooks @ 8:14 AM
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