It's winner take all in Hawai'i-BYU volleyball showdown

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

"That's OK," University of Hawai'i men's volleyball coach Mike Wilton said. "Volleyball is played indoors."

Still, Wilton was decidedly upbeat as his top-ranked Warriors prepared for matches against No. 2 Brigham Young tonight and tomorrow night in the 6,000-seat Smith Field House. An overflow crowd is expected for the matches, described by Cougar coach Carl McGown as the biggest in "BYU volleyball history."

Even the usually cautious Wilton said: "For a regular-season series, this is a pretty big deal. It's going to be all that it's advertised to be."

Both teams are 12-3 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and atop their respective divisions. If UH sweeps, it will earn the top seed and homecourt advantage throughout the MPSF playoffs, which begin next week. In addition, the top seed of the country's top league is virtually assured a berth in the NCAA final four, despite how it finishes in the MPSF playoffs.

But BYU has the tie-breaker edge, and even if the matches were split, the Cougars would earn all of the top prizes.

"If Hawai'i wins, it will get all of those things," McGown said. "If we win, we get them. There's nothing more you can play for."

The teams played four exhibition matches in Hawai'i last November, with each team winning twice, but the lineups and conditions are quite different this time.

In one of the losses, UH did not use setter Kimo Tuyay, outside hitter Costas Theocharidis and middle blocker Dejan Miladinovic. Also, libero Vernon Podlewski joined the Warriors in January.

For BYU, middle blocker Matt Olsen was not eligible during those exhibitions, and 6-foot-4 libero Fernando Pessoa was not yet a starter.

"We're a different team and they're a different team," Wilton said.

The Warriors arrived in Provo, Utah, on Tuesday night to acclimate to Utah's thin air, which could be a factor during the matches. The air offers less resistance, causing serves to float. Wilton said his players worked extensively on their serves during two-hour practices the last two days.

The air also causes dryness in the nose, mouth and, most vital to a volleyball player, the fingertips. Wilton has encouraged his players to rub their fingertips on their sweat to improve their control.

Smith's crowd, made up mostly of BYU students, could be a factor. Wilton compared the crowd noise to a jet taking off.

"It's extra loud," said UH senior opposite hitter Torry Tukuafu, who played for BYU as a freshman.

Wilton has played videotapes of the BYU home matches with the volume set on maximum. During one drill yesterday, four players would surround a server.

"We made them get in his face and yell," Wilton said. "That's what it's going to be like during the match."

But several UH players said they want to use the crowd noise as motivation.

"The last time we played, I don't think it was an obstacle," Miladinovic said. "Actually, it was quite inspiring. It pumped us up, too. It was fun. We'll see. All of the guys haven't experienced it yet, but I think we're ready to play our game. A lot is at stake."

Said UH middle blocker Brenton Davis: "It's pretty much a must-win situation. There are a lot of final four implications and tie-breakers involved. It's big, but we play well when the chips are stacked against us. We kind of thrive on adversity. What's better than 6,000 screaming Provo fans to get us pumped up? This team is used to playing under duress. I think we're ready."

Theocharidis and Eyal Zimet, UH's best server and an accurate passer, did not play in last week's exhibitions against Alberta because of injuries. But Wilton said both will start tonight.