BYU sweeps second-ranked UH

Advertiser Staff

PROVO, UTAH — All of the momentum the University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team tried to build last night disappeared into thin air.

Hawai'i's Pedro Azenha stuffs a shot by Brigham Young's Chris Gorney. The Warriors led in every game, but lost 30-24, 31-29, 30-27. George Frey • Special to The Advertiser

The Warriors led in every game, including 29-25 in Game 2.

"If we played to 20, we would have won in three," Wilton said. "We would get to 20 or so, and out of desperation (the Cougars) would make some plays, and we wilted on the vine. Whatever the reason, we just wilted."

In losing for the 10th time in 12 career matches in Provo, the second-ranked Warriors fell to 9-4 overall and 5-4 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. BYU, which has not played a nonconference match, is 9-2.

Wilton said it was not the altitude — Provo is three-quarters of a mile above sea level — but the attitude that led to the Warriors' undoing. "I couldn't notice any player on our team screaming for the ball," Wilton said. "Costas (Theocharidis) used to do that sort of thing. I didn't see that."

Wilton is puzzled by the Warriors' uneven play. They lost only libero Vernon Podlewski and middle blocker Dejan Miladinovic from last season's national championship team.

"The question one might ask is, 'Would Dejan and Vernon provide that much heart and soul?' " Wilton said. "Maybe they did. But the deal is somebody else has to carry the torch. We have to do a better job of competing."

The Warriors entered the match with concerns about their serves sailing in Provo's thin air. They committed errors on three of their first four serves, but then adjusted, taking a 20-18 lead in Game 1. But three aces and Rafael Paal's crossing shots helped the Cougars score 12 of the final 16 points.

In Game 2, the Warriors led 20-15 and then 29-25. But BYU opposite hitter Jonathan Alleman crushed a line shot, then served the final five points of the game. BYU's last three points were the result of UH hitting errors.

Even a lineup change in Game 3 — senior Brian Nordberg replaced junior Joshua Stanhiser at middle blocker — could not save the Warriors.

Wilton said there only was a slight statistical differential between the teams. "As bad as it sounds, we have to play with some heart," Wilton said. "We have to fight and scrap. We're not good enough to step on the court and do it unless we fight and scrap."

Wilton said the Warriors also appeared to be rattled by debatable calls, including a rotation error that cost them a point.

"We let calls get us upset," Wilton said. "If we put as much energy into playing as we did into arguing calls, it might have been a different story."

Soon after the match ended, Wilton dismissed his players for the night, saying he would not review the outcome until today's morning meeting.

Wilton recalled telling them, "Tomorrow is another day."

Tonight's match will be played in the 22,700-seat Marriott Center, where the Cougars will try to break their NCAA record for the largest crowd for a men's volleyball match. A 1999 match between the teams drew 14,156. BYU officials predict more than 15,000 will attend tonight's match.

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