UH meets Long Beach to open playoffs
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| UH's Costas Theocharidis spiked past Long Beach's Matt Meines when the teams played earlier this season.
Advertiser library photo • Feb. 20, 2002 Game facts What: MPSF playoffs, first round: Hawai'i vs. Long Beach State When: 7 tonight Where: Stan Sheriff Center Tickets: $13 adult (lower), UH student-rooter guest; $10 adult (upper); $9 senior citizen (upper, accessible); $7 UH student-rooter, students (age 4-18 yrs. old). For more information call UH ticket office at 956-4482 TV & Radio: Shown live K5. Radio live 1420 |
Despite amassing the second-best record in the country's best conference, the Warriors were never whole, either because of injury or circumstance.
But what is referred to as the "second season" begins tonight, and — ready or not — the Warriors are out of second chances as they prepare to play host to Long Beach State in the opening round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's single-elimination tournament.
"There's no room for error at all," UH middle blocker Dejan Miladinovic said. "If you lose, you're out. That's it. There's added pressure. The stakes are higher. The focus will be higher. If we don't play our best, we won't get a chance to make it up, to redeem ourselves."
Said outside hitter Eyal Zimet: "Pressure? We like that."
Indeed, since Mike Wilton was hired as UH's coach in 1993, the Warriors are 5-0 in first-round matches played in the Stan Sheriff Center.
"It's the realization on everybody's part this is an extra enjoyable and heightened time of the year," Wilton said.
Wilton has tried to ease the tension in this week's practices, staging hitting and passing contests. He has given his players freedom in exchange for the promise they are, "as Eyal puts it, 'to be willing.' That's the term Eyal uses for 'being up to the task.'"
"We are willing," Zimet said. "You don't have to worry about that."
The 49ers, who lost seven players from a team that shared the Pacific Division title with UH last season, are an intriguing challenge.
Unlike most teams, the 49ers attack from the middle first, with 6-foot-5 Mark Ekins able to accurately set 6-8 Tim May and 6-8 David Lee, even if he receives passes away from the net.
The average 49er outside hitter is 6 feet 6 1/2. The tallest, 6-9 Nicholas Marbach, is nursing a hand injury, but will play.
"We don't have 6-9 anything," said Wilton, whose tallest outside hitter is 6-3.
The 49es have tried out several players at libero, finally settling on Phillip White. "He does a nice job of running our back-court defense," 49er coach Alan Knipe said.
The mix-and-match approach has been used throughout the roster. "We've had a couple of ups and downs," 49er outside hitter Scott Touzinsky said. "We've had a lot of players rotating through our lineup."
Knipe said he expects UH, the most experienced team in the league, to play well. "I'm more concerned about how we play and prepare," Knipe said.
Even with a lineup that includes only two seniors, the average UH starter is 22 years old. Miladinovic, 25, and Vernon Podlewski, 25, are old enough to rent cars.
"Volleyball is cyclical, and right now with their older guys, (the Warriors) are at that high point," Knipe said. "More than anything, it takes time for younger guys to step forward in crucial matches. They have guys who can step forward in five-game matches."
Still, the Warriors are in transition after tinkering with the starting rotation two weeks ago. Tony Ching, who displaced Jose Delgado as a starter, has become an offensive threat at left-side hitter.
But since relinquishing his usual position on the left side, Costas Theocharidis has struggled in the three matches at opposite, where he is on the right side for five rotation turns. He averaged 5.66 kills and hit .358 as a left-side hitter; at opposite, he is averaging 4.62 kills and hitting .300.
"I think we have to work with the setting," Theocharidis said. "Me and (setter) Kimo (Tuyay) cannot connect with each other. ... He has trouble setting me up. If it's a good pass (to Tuyay), we play fast. If it's a bad pass, we play high. He has to push it out a little bit, so we have more hitting options. ... I can play on the right side, but I have to connect with the setter."
This week, Tuyay and Theocharidis have worked together after practice. "I think we'll be fine," Tuyay said.
"It's the coach," Theocharidis said. "If he decides to put me out there, I'm going to play there. If he wants to put me on that side because he believes other players play better on the left side than the right side, then I'm going to do it. I'm going to do whatever I can to help this team."
Yesterday, Wilton said he had not decided where Theocharidis will play against the 49ers.
"I'm still contemplating what would be best for this particular match," Wilton said. "Costas can play anywhere. It's a nice flexibility to have."
Ching also said he was not concerned about his role.
Ching said a playoff match is "do or die. There's a sense of urgency. You know, if you lose, your season is over. It's nice for our team, because when we get that pressure and we know the urgency is there, that's when we play our best."
