College volleyball: Vulcans suffer worst loss of season

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Libero Mina Grant had a pain in her back, and that left UH-Hilo volleyball coach Tino Reyes with a pain in his – well – you know where.

Libero Mina Grant had a pain in her back, and that left UH-Hilo volleyball coach Tino Reyes with a pain in his – well – you know where.

In perhaps their poorest effort of an up-and-down season, the Vulcans were swept Friday night by lowly Holy Names in Oakland, Calif.

“No highlights today” Reyes said after Holy Names earned its first Pacific West Conference victory, 25-18, 25-16, 25-13. “It was totally bad.

“I don’t know what to tell you.”

Just 13 days ago, the Vulcans (9-13, 7-10 PacWest) swept the Hawks at home.

In the meantime, UH-Hilo lost Grant to a back injury, and even with outside hitter Siera Green back in lineup, Reyes said his team looked shell-shocked, especially after the first set.

In Game 1, UH-Hilo committed eight hitting errors, and matter got worse from there.

“I don’t know if I saw this one coming,” Reyes said. “Once they got the momentum, we couldn’t stop them.”

Marley Strand-Nicolaisen knocked down nine kills but hit just .156, No one else reached five kills for the Vuls, who hit a measley .042.

Madison Stark posted 11 kills for Holy Names (2-23, 1-16).