Hawai'i takes first step with sweep of Pacific

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team went through the spectrum of emotions — frustration, anger, elation — in gaining a 37-35, 30-27, 30-27 playoff victory over Pacific last night in the Stan Sheriff Center.

Tony Ching, left, Eyal Zimet and the rest of the Warriors flexed their muscles in a three-game sweep of Pacific. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

The winner of the match between UH and No. 2 seed Brigham Young is expected to earn, at the least, the at-large berth in next month's NCAA final four.

"Whoever wins that one is going to be in," UH coach Mike Wilton said.

But the Warriors stumbled in the first step of their quest of repeating as national champions, falling behind 6-1 in Game 1.

Later, the Warriors were scolded twice — the first when Tony Ching hit a shot after referee Verna Klubnukin whistled the play dead, and then when Costas Theo-charidis, penalized for stepping across the 3-meter line during a back-row attack, punted the volleyball. Theocharidis received a yellow card, and the Tigers were awarded a point for the attack error and a bonus point for the penalty.

"It was frustration," Theo-charidis said. "A stupid call ruins everything. I got mad at myself, but I said either I'm going to let the call bother me for the rest of the game or I'm going to let my anger out. I did what I did."

The Tigers served for game point six times, the last at 35-34 following Martin Bernsten's ace. But his ensuing serve did not clear the net, and Theocharidis hammered the next two kill attempts.

"That first game set the tone," UH setter Kimo Tuyay said. "If we lost that game, our hopes would have been down."

Instead, the Warriors seized the ebb and flow of the match. In Game 2, it was the Warriors' turn to take a 6-1 lead.

After that, the Warriors rotated leading actors. Middle blocker Delano Thomas, who wore a waist-wrap to ease lower-back spasms, controlled the middle — he finished with seven of the Warriors' 13.5 blocks — and slowed the Tigers' offense with blistering serves. The Tigers used five passers, two more than usual, to receive Thomas' jump serves.

"For some reason, I was jumping a lot higher," said Thomas, who is 6 feet 7. "That helps with the serve."

Thomas, who missed last week's regular-season finale because of back spasms, kept his pledge to play last night. "It's the playoffs," he said. "You can't sit out the playoffs. It's one loss and you're done for the season. I was going to play no matter what."

Jake Muise, from left, Costas Theocharidis and Kimo Tuyay celebrate UH's sweep over Pacific. The Warriors will play Brigham Young on Thursday in the semifinal of the MPSF Tournament. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

"We have so many guys who can step up," Tuyay said. "My job is to find those guys. I've got the easiest job: find the guy who can put the ball away."

Zimet said: "I'd hate to be our opponent because you have to pay attention to everybody."

When the Warriors appeared to be unraveling early, because of jitters and frustration, they found calming guidance from two unlikely sources — Ching, nicknamed "Testosterone Tony" for his angry play, and Thomas, the quietest starter.

"It's a team of leaders," said Zimet, the team captain. "Everybody is a leader. Everybody steps up at the right time. That's why we're so dangerous."

Ching said: "We wanted to make good plays and do big things. We were a little hyped. We know we had to settle down. We told ourselves not to worry about the score. Once we worried only about our side of the net, we played better."

The Warriors will leave Tuesday for Malibu, site of the tournament's semifinals and championship match. The tournament winner earns the MPSF's automatic berth in the final four. UH has never won this tournament.

But this time, Theocharidis said, "We think we can run the table. That's our goal."

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