Second-ranked UCLA back for volleyball series

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i and UCLA are the best of volleyball foes, linked by 51 battles during the last 21 years and a desire to attain each other's gifts.

The Warriors are volleyball's most popular students, leading the country in attendance, media coverage and fan adoration.

The Bruins are the most likely to succeed, having claimed 18 NCAA titles under Al Scates, in his 40th season as head coach. While most media guides reserve a section for year-by-year results, the Bruins' media guide charts the past by listing each season's all-star players.

The matches between the teams tonight and tomorrow night will have little impact on the regular-season title. With two weeks remaining in the season, Pepperdine (17-2) leads the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, followed by UCLA (15-3) and UH (14-4).

Even if the Warriors were to sweep UCLA and win both matches against No. 4 Brigham Young next week, they would not receive the top seed in the MPSF playoffs unless Pepperdine loses its final three matches. By winning both meetings this season, the Waves own the tie-breaker against the Warriors.

"Pepperdine is not going to lose three times," UH middle blocker Dejan Miladinovic said, conceding the matches against UCLA will be with "second place at stake."

Still, would David care if Goliath were ranked No. 2? "They're UCLA," Miladinovic said. "That's enough motivation."

The Bruins will be without outside hitter Jonathan Acosta, who has a torn abdominal muscle, and quick hitter Scott Morrow, who is recovering from three tears in his right leg, the most severe in the quadriceps.

Acosta, who leads the Bruins with 4.0 kills per game, told his best friend, UH outside hitter Jose Delgado, that he might not be available until the playoffs, maybe longer.

"He told me, 'I'm going to rest until the final four,'" Delgado recalled. "I told him, 'You have to beat us first to go to the final four.' He started laughing. We talk crap all of the time. He's an amazing person. We've known each other since childhood, and we're best friends. But, still, I play for my team. We're going to play to win."

This week, UH coach Mike Wilton has cautioned his players that the Bruins, even without two starters, are dangerous. UH, which lost to UCLA in the Outrigger Hotels Invitational in January, has defeated the Bruins twice in a season only two times, in 1988 and 1996.

"They'll be ready for us," Wilton said.

Said UCLA outside hitter Matt Komer: "It's a big series. If we lose, we could finish fourth or fifth. We have to win these two matches."

•	Match facts WHAT: Mountain Pacific Sports Federation volleyball WHO: Hawai'i (17-6, 14-4) vs. UCLA (23-4, 15-3) WHEN/WHERE: 7 tonight and tomorrow in Stan Sheriff Center TICKETS: $12 (lower), $9 (upper), $8 (seniors), $7 (Super Rooter), $6 (ages 4-18, UH students)

UCLA's offense

UCLA's emphasis on attacking is apparent in its terminology. The UCLA middle blocker is known as the quick hitter, a reference to the quick sets to the middle.

While Morrow will be missed, the Bruins' other starting quick hitter, Chris Pena, has emerged as the inspirational leader. The 6-foot-6 Pena — four inches shorter than his predecessor, All-America Adam Naeve — makes all of the on-court assignment calls and is adept at crushing Rich Nelson's quick sets.

"You only have a split second to react," Miladinovic said. "If you're a little bit late, that's it, the ball is gone."

Outside hitters Komer and Cameron Mount offer different poisons. The 6-foot-7 Komer hits high and accurately. The 6-8 Mount, registered owner of a powerful cross-body shot, is most effective from the left side.

"He's very difficult to block one on one," Miladinovic said. "Even if his shot touches the block, the chances are it's going to fly into the stands or somewhere. You have to be really, really — what's the word? — disciplined."

Punahou Schools graduate Parker Smith (1.84 kills per game), David Russell (1.29) or Kris Kraushaar (1.45) will replace Acosta. Smith is recovering from a broken right pinkie on his hitting hand.

UCLA's defense

The Bruins prefer to serve short, often inducing opponents into two-pass plays. In the last meeting, the Bruins were able to negate UH outside hitter Costas Theocharidis by serving into his takeoff lane or to Delgado. UH's ping-pong passing provided few perfect sets for Theocharidis.

Since then, Delgado, a freshman, has improved his passing.

UH's offense

The Warriors compensate for their lack of height — none of their starting outside hitters is taller than 6 feet 3 — with clever hitting. Theocharidis, in particular, uses his 37-inch vertical leap to scan blocks and hitting lanes before swinging. The extra nano-second makes Theocharidis one of the best in ricocheting shots off blocks. It is a skill that Delgado has mastered.

The decision to start 6-foot-7 freshman Delano Thomas gives the Warriors more interior offense.

UH's defense

UCLA's balanced attack — four hitters have at least 348 kill attempts this season, and setter Rich Nelson has 121 — makes it difficult to set up double blocks.

But the Bruins rarely hit line — straightaways along the sideline — and while they offer more starting points of attack, nearly all of their shots are expected to funnel through the middle of the Warriors' defense. Unless the Bruins change tactics, UH libero Vernon Podlewski will position at his favorite spot — in the middle, a giant step from the baseline.

Early in the season, Thomas received grief for his serving woes. But Wilton traced Thomas' problems to beginner's misfortune. According to UH statistics, Wilton said, the Warriors score more points when Thomas is the server. Wilton said backup middle blocker Brian Nordberg, who uses a goofy badminton-swinging style, is the second most effective server.