Waves building for UH rematch

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	UH men's volleyball What: Pepperdine vs. Hawai'i When: Today, 7 p.m. Where: Stan Sheriff Center Admission: $12 lower level; $9 (adult, upper level); $8 ages 65-older; $6 ages 4-18, UH students. Parking: $3.

A rivalry will be renewed when top-ranked Pepperdine plays No. 2 Hawai'i tonight in a rematch of last year's Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament final and NCAA championship match.

Last season, Pepperdine earned the popular vote as the nation's best team, but did not prevail in the final election. After winning the MPSF regular-season title and league tournament, defeating UH three times in the process, the Waves lost in the match that mattered the most.

"It was real disappointing," Pepperdine coach Marv Dunphy said of the four-game loss to UH in the NCAA title match. "Hawai'i played a good match. That's the way it goes."

Despite new starters at three positions, the Waves have won their first 10 MPSF matches this season.

"This is a new year," Dunphy said. "This team has a new identity."

UH, meanwhile, is struggling in its role as defending national champion. Of their first five two-match series, the Warriors won one and split four. They have used four different lineups this season, including three in the past two weeks.

"We always win one and lose one," outside hitter Tony Ching said. "Enough of that already. This is a big match for us. We need to beat them to have any shot at the at-large bid."

The tournament winners from the NCAA's three leagues earn automatic berths in the NCAA final four; the at-large team usually comes from the MPSF.

The NCAA selection committee members "look at the national rankings and they do a lot of comparative-score checking," said UH coach Mike Wilton. "I'm at a point where I feel we need to put back-to-back great efforts together. If we have a great effort, more times than not, it leads to a win."

As for tonight's match, Wilton said, "We're ready to roll."

Here's a closer look:

PEPPERDINE

Record: 12-1, 10-0 MPSF

Starters: Brad Keenan (MB, 6-8, Sr., 2.64 kpg, 2.34 bpg), Andy Hein (MB, 6-10, Fr., 1.48 kpg, 0.93 bpg), Fred Winters (OH, 6-5, Jr., 4.05 kpg, 1.14 bpg), Sean Rooney (OH, 6-9, So., 4.25 kpg, 0.89 bpg), Mike Gledhill (Opp., 6-5, So., 2.28 kpg, 0.88 bpg), John Mayer (S, 6-2, So., 13.25 apg), Dhiraj Coats (L, 6-2, Sr., 1.81 dpg).

Outlook: During the offseason, the Waves had to replace three starters, including Beau Daniels, the nation's best setter. Last month, starting middle blocker Andy Webb suffered a broken foot bone and won't play for another month.

Mayer, who transferred from Los Angeles Pierce College last summer, has been a functional setter, although he lacks Daniel's on-court savvy. "He's a green pea," Dunphy said. "Every day we're doing fundamental things with him. He's doing pretty well, but he still has a ways to go."

But Mayer's transition is eased by Keenan, the country's best middle, and left-side slammers Winters and Rooney. Keenan has perfected the step-out move, in which he clobbers sets placed near the right pin. It is a move that stretches a defense and targets a weaker back-row player. Keenan also leads the NCAA with 103 blocks.

Wilton insists Hein, the second starting middle, is a better blocker than Webb. "He's a good player," Wilton said, "and he's good at being 6-10."

While the Waves, in general, do not serve as aggressively as they did a year ago, Keenan still has the green light to rip away. "They're always hunting for the weak fish," Wilton said.

HAWAI'I

Record: 10-4, 6-4 MPSF

Starters: Delano Thomas (MB, 6-7, So., 2.92 kpg, 1.56 bpg), Brian Nordberg (MB, 6-5, Sr., 1.17 kpg, 0.67 bpg), Costas Theocharidis (OH, 6-3, Sr., 5.18 kpg, 0.75 bpg), Tony Ching (OH, 6-2, Sr., 3.20 kpg, 0.56 bpg), Eyal Zimet (Opp., 6-2, Sr., 1.77 kpg, 0.52 bpg), Kimo Tuyay (S, 6-2, Jr., 12.98 apg), Jake Muise (L, 6-0, Jr., 2.00 dpg).

Outlook: It is Wilton's hope that the reinvented Nordberg and Muise — Nordberg was a part-time starter last season; Muise started the first five matches this season — will reinvigorate the lineup. Nordberg is a better read blocker than the displaced Joshua Stanhiser, who is in his first season as a full-time volleyball player, and Muise adds floor-burning scrappiness to what had become a mechanical passing game.

"Jake makes huge digs when there's no block up," serving specialist Matt Bender said. "That's fun to watch. That's old-fashioned volleyball."

Wilton also has decided to expand Theocharidis' role. Before last Friday's match against Brigham Young, Wilton recalled: "Costas came up to me and begged for the ball more. I was waiting for that. Sometimes, I had a sense he didn't want the ball more. Maybe that was a poor read on my part. He's the guy we want to set."

When Zimet was moved from opposite to libero for two matches, Theocharidis was asked to become one of the two primary passers. With Zimet back at opposite, Theocharidis is free to swing away from the six rotation spots.

"It's always good to get it to Costas," Tuyay said. "Once (defenses) start camping on Costas, there are other guys free. It opens it up for the other hitters."

Theocharidis said he has developed a strong on-court relationship with Tuyay. As a freshman two years ago and during the early part of last season, Tuyay often would defer to his older teammates.

"For sure, he's matured the past three years," Theocharidis said. "He's not playing the way he was playing as a freshman. Sometimes he will struggle, but he's getting much better decision-wise. He's very much on his game right now."