Volleyball team focused in on sweeping Long Beach St.

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team is in a happy place, and not just because it has spent the past week in a hotel one mile from Disneyland.

"Half the job is done," UH coach Mike Wilton said entering tonight's rematch at Long Beach State's Pyramid.

In Mountain Pacific Sports Federation series against Stanford and UC Irvine, the Warriors won the first match but lost the encore.

"Those who fail to learn from history," Wilton told his players yesterday, "are doomed to repeat it. Figure it out."

The Warriors believe they have conquered their problems of previous rematches. They appear to be more focused, opting to study instead of going to an amusement park yesterday, and have worked out the inconsistency of their passing.

The Warriors' improved passing coincides with opposite hitter Eyal Zimet's improved health. Zimet has suffered lower-back pain compounded by spasms, and considered moving to libero, the back-row defensive specialist. But he nixed the move, and Wednesday produced nine kills, six digs and three aces against the 49ers.

The Warriors rely on a two-passer system, which prevents opponents from placing serves to weak spots. While libero Matt Motter defends the back row, Zimet guards against the angle shots.

"Eyal's not a primary attacker, but he's a great passer, a good blocker and we score points when he serves," Wilton said. "It's real important for him to be on the floor for us."

Because Costas Theocharidis is the team's best attacker and Tony Ching has multiple skills, freshman Pedro Azenha, a good hitter but ordinary passer, is limited to a reserve role.

"It would be great to have Costas and Pedro on the court at the same time, and that could still happen, when Pedro becomes a great hitter," Wilton said. "That could happen in time, and maybe this season, but for now we need two passers on the floor."