By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Like pencil marks on a wall to chart growth, the University of Hawai‘i men’s volleyball team will measure its development against its past in tonight’s exhibition match in the Stan Sheriff Center.
 UH-Alumni men’s volleyball matches
Today at Stan Sheriff Center
Alumni vs. alumni, 5 p.m.; UH vs. alumni, 7 p.m.
Tickets: $12 (lower level, Super Rooter guest), $9 (upper level), $8 (senior section), $7 (Super Rooter), $6 (UH students, ages 4 through high school) |
Two UH alumni teams meet at 5 p.m., followed by the annual match between the Warriors and the alumni at approximately 7 p.m.
"From a volleyball standpoint, we want to be tested, and I’m sure we will be," UH coach Mike Wilton said.
This is the final tune-up before UH’s season opener against Lewis (Ill.) on Wednesday. The Warriors played four exhibition matches against Brigham Young in November.
The Warriors lost two starters, but return five — a mathematical improbability made possible by the return of Dejan Miladinovic, who used last season to rehabilitate an injured shoulder. He led UH in blocks, at 2.05 per game, in 1999.
Miladinovic and Brenton Davis provide the wall; Costas Theocharidis and Torry Tukuafu offer the outside arsenal. Tukuafu, who transferred from Brigham Young two years ago, moves from the middle to the right side, replacing Clay Stanley, who abbreviated his college career to try out for the national team.
Two first-year Warriors join the lineup. Kimo Tuyay, a heralded freshman from San Diego, was named the starting setter during fall camp. At 18, he is the youngest starting setter in Wilton’s nine seasons at UH.
Vernon Podlewski, who took the scenic route to Manoa, will open at libero, the defensive specialist position.
The 5-foot-8 Podlewski, a 1994 Maui High graduate, worked for several years before enrolling at Santa Barbara City College. He earned his associate degree last year.
Podlewski, who attended Wilton’s volleyball camps as a high school player, had several strong practices this week.
"I like him because he’s real athletic, strong, and has a real work ethic," Wilton said. "He’ll run through a wall to try and get a ball."
Podlewski also is an accurate passer, an area of concern for the Warriors during training camp. "We struggled with that during the fall," Wilton said, but "I’m getting happier."
UH also appears to have depth problems. It won’t be helped that middle blocker Geronimo Chala, who went to Miami for a family bereavement, has spent the last two days trying to return to Hawai‘i. With flight cancellations caused by inclement weather, Chala, as of yesterday afternoon, was on a bus ride to Louisville, Ky., in search of a better flight connection.
"He’ll be able to give a geography lesson when he arrives here," Wilton said.
 NOTES: Rally scoring — a point a play — will be used in tonight’s best-of-five matches. The teams will play to 30 in the first four games and to 15 in the fifth. The same scoring system will be used this season. ... Sivan Leoni, Erik Pichel, Jason Ring, Clay Stanley, Curt Vaughan and Aaron Wilton will play for the alumni.
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