UH-Hilo: Vuls hope home matches are worth the wait

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Got plans this fall?

Got plans this fall?

The Vulcans do.

The UH-Hilo volleyball and soccer programs unveiled their 2017 schedules, and if there is a common theme it’s back-loaded home schedules.

Volleyball coach Gene Krieger embarks on his first season with two road trips before a home opener against Academy of Art on Sept 22. That Pacific West Conference contest starts the first of two four-match homestands on a 26-game slate, 10 of which are at UH-Hilo gym.

Kreiger will have seven returnees when training camp opens in August and eight newcomers.

“The Pacific West Conference is one of the most talented in the country,” Kreiger said in a university release. “With that being said, we still have a goal to better last seasons’ 10-15 record and seventh place in the conference.”

The Vulcans open the season in Northern California with a nonconference battles against PacWest foe Holy Names and Menlo Sept. 5-6, and then they playing four matches in San Francisco at the GNAC/PacWest/CCAA crossover tournament.

“I am anxious for our first weekend in San Francisco,” Krieger said. “Part of the challenge is that we play four games in five days, and that takes focus and planning. This will be a challenge for myself and the new players to rely on the returnees to work our way through it. That trip should be a good chemistry builder.”

In early October, UH-Hilo will play five matches in six days on a Northern California road trip.

The annual alumni match is Aug. 26.

“We are already planning our alumni weekend for Aug. 25-26,” he said. “I am looking forward to meeting and playing against some of the great former members of this historic program that has had so many great teams over the years.”

Soccer in Keaau

The Vulcans’ soccer teams will once again play at Kamehameha’s Paiea Stadium, which will host six PacWest Conference matches – four at the end of the season – and the women have an addition home contest against Hawaii Pacific on Sept. 16.

The first of two road trips through Southern California sees the Vulcans play California Baptist, Concordia and Azusa Pacific. Those three women’s teams occupied the top three spots on the PacWest standings in 2016, and each had a winning record on the men’s side.

“It’s a tough test for sure with the way we begin PacWest play,” interim soccer director Gene Okamura said in a release. “Both teams will be greatly challenged early. We will see what we are made of right away.”

Schedules

Home matches in caps; *PacWest matches

VOLLEYBALL

Aug. 26 ALUMNI MATCH, 6 p.m.

Sept. 5 at Holy Names, 3 p.m.

Sept. 6 at Menlo, 4 p.m.

Sept. 7 at Cal State Monterey Bay, 9 a.m.

Sept. 7 at Alaska-San Francisco 2 p.m.

Sept. 8 San Francisco State, 10:30 a.m.

Sept. 9 at Cal Poly Pomona, 9 a.m.

Sept. 15 at Chaminade*, 7 p.m.

Sept. 16 at Hawaii Pacific*, 7 p.m.

Sept. 22 ACADEMY OF ART*, 7 p.m.

Sept. 23 FRESNO PACIFIC*, 7 p.m.

Sept. 29. BIOLA*, 7 p.m.

Sept. 30 POINT LOMA*, 2 p.m.

Oct. 8 at Dominican*, 4 p.m.

Oct. 9 at Notre Dame de Namur*, 4 p.m.

Oct. 10 at Cal State East Bay*, 4 p.m.

Oct. 11 at Holy Names*, 4 p.m.

Oct. 13 at Fresno Pacific*, 3 p.m.

Oct. 20 DOMINICAN*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 CHAMINADE*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 27 NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 30 CONCORDIA*, 7 p.m.

Nov. 6 at Dixie State*, 4 p.m.

Nov. 8 at Point Loma*, 5 p.m.

Nov. 9 at Azusa Pacific*, 5 p.m.

Nov. 11 at Concordia*, 5 p.m.

Nov. 17 CALIFORNIA BAPTIST*, 7 p.m.

Nov. 18 HAWAII PACIFIC*, 7 p.m.

SOCCER

Men

Sept. 2 at Hawaii Pacific, 12:30 p.m.

Sept. 4 at Chaminade, 3:30 p.m.

Sept. 19 at Cal State Los Angeles, 10 a.m.

Sept. 21 at California Baptist*, 1 p.m.

Sept. 23 at Concordia, 1 p.m.

Sept. 26 at Azusa Pacific, 4:30 p.m.

Sept. 30 ACADEMY OF ART*, 7 pm

Oct. 3 HOLY NAMES*, 7 pm

Oct. 7 at Hawaii Pacific*, 3 p.m.

Oct. 14 at Point Loma*, 11 a.m.

Oct. 16 at Biola*, 4 p.m.

Oct. 19 at Dixie State, 3 p.m.

Oct. 24 NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 28 DOMINICAN*, 3 p.m.

Oct. 30 FRESNO PACIFIC*, 7 p.m.

Nov. 4 CHAMINADE*, 3 p.m.

Women

Sept. 2 Pace (N.Y.), on Oahu, 10 a.m.

Sept. 4 at Chaminade, 1:30 p.m.

Sept. 8 at Concordia (Ore.), at Honolulu, 12:30 p.m.

Sept. 16 HAWAII PACIFIC, 12:30 p.m.

Sept. 21 at California Baptist*, 10:30 a.m.

Sept. 23 at Concordia, 10:30 a.m.

Sept. 26 at Azusa Pacific, 2 p.m.

Sept. 30 ACADEMY OF ART*, 4:30 pm

Oct. 3 HOLY NAMES*, 4:30 pm

Oct. 7 at Hawaii Pacific*, 12:30 p.m.

Oct. 14 at Point Loma*, 8:30 a.m.

Oct. 16 at Biola*, 2 p.m.

Oct. 19 at Dixie State, 12:30 a.m.

Oct. 24 NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR*, 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 28 DOMINICAN*, 12:30 p.m.

Oct. 30 FRESNO PACIFIC*, 4:30 p.m.

Nov. 4 CHAMINADE*, 12:30 p.m.