honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, April 12, 2002

UH volleyball team eyes final-four slot

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team is hopeful a second-place finish can add up to a final-four berth.

Top-ranked Pepperdine has clinched the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation regular-season title and, most likely, a berth in the NCAA final four.

That leaves the Warriors, who play host to defending national champion Brigham Young tonight and tomorrow, with two paths to the final four. The Warriors can win the MPSF's automatic berth in the final four by winning the coming league playoffs.

The Warriors still can earn the at-large berth by finishing the regular season in second place and reaching the final match of the MPSF playoffs. The at-large team will come from the MPSF, the strongest of the NCAA's three conferences.

To secure second place, UH (19-6, 16-4 in the MPSF) will have to win only one of the two BYU matches. If BYU (21-5, 15-5) wins both matches, UH will finish fourth.

"This is a big series," UH coach Mike Wilton said.

The Cougars left their Provo, Utah, campus Tuesday, playing matches at UC San Diego that night and Wednesday night. An extended road trip, BYU coach Carl McGown said, "is a significant disadvantage."

But Wilton said, "They'll be fine. Everybody plays good down here. Our fans give them gifts and leis and knitted things. They're treated better here than there."

The Cougars' offense relies on strong bookends — 6-foot-4 opposite hitter Mike Wall (4.82 kills per game) and 6-5 outside hitter Joaquin Acosta (4.18). Each can hit to all angles, although Acosta is more effective on cross-body shots.

The key is setter Carlos Moreno, a 6-3, 200-pound freshman who enrolled at BYU in January. During fall training camp, the Cougars built their attack around Angel Perez.

"We had all of our eggs in his basket," McGown said.

But Perez decided to leave the program at the end of the fall semester. Then Moreno, who was raised in Brazil, showed up.

"We were very fortunate," McGown said.

Still, Moreno struggled to blend into the Cougars' system.

"He had a lot of habits we weren't crazy about," McGown said. "I suppose in Brazil, that was the way they wanted him to play. That wasn't the way we wanted him to play."

Moreno has progressed, gaining confidence in running the offense and becoming an effective second blocker on the outside.

"Still, he's not the volleyball player he's going to become," McGown said. "He's going to get better, but I don't think you can make all of those changes to a freshman setter during a season."

The Warriors also know about growing pains. After struggling for six consecutive matches, freshman Jose Delgado has been displaced as a starter. Tony Ching will either start at Delgado's spot at opposite or Costas Theocharidis will move opposite and Ching will open as a left-side hitter. Wilton said Delgado can substitute at both positions.

Wilton said a change was needed because of Delgado's prolonged hitting slump.

"He was below the Mendoza line," said Wilton, a reference to the batting average of Mario Mendoza, a famed light-hitting shortstop in the major leagues. "He's a talented player, but he might be pressing a little bit."

Wilton said Ching has been cleared to play despite a sore right elbow, which became infected when he landed awkwardly in last week's match against UCLA. Ching is being treated with antibiotics.