UH libero plans to play

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i libero Jake Muise expects to start tomorrow night's conference match against Stanford. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Last week, Muise suffered a torn ligament in his left hand. The injury appeared to hinder his passing in last Saturday's exhibition loss to Shanghai Oriental. During yesterday's practice, UH coach Mike Wilton opened the competition at libero, the back-row defensive specialist.

"He had the edge" over Arri Jeschke during passing drills, Wilton said, adding "it appeared likely" Muise would retain his starting job for matches against Stanford tomorrow and Friday.

Muise said he is playing with pain. "It hurts, but so what?" he said. "There's not much you can do. You can put ice on it and tape it, but as soon as the ball comes and hits your hand, it's going to hurt. I've been on the bench for two years, and loved every minute of it, but if I get my chance to play, I'm not going to let anything stop me."

Outside hitter Eyal Zimet, UH's captain, said teammates draw inspiration from Muise's fearless style.

"Jake is like a rock, maybe, I should say, a crazy rock," Zimet said. "Every night, he's going to give whatever he has, plus 10 percent. That's good, and it's fun to play with a player like that."

Muise, who was raised in Nova Scotia, said: "My coach back home had a saying: 'If you run hard and fast enough, the wall will get out of the way.'I mean, obviously that's not true. But we're taught to sacrifice everything to get to the ball. That's a little different if you're an outside hitter and you need to save your body. But getting to the ball is the only job a libero's got, so I don't see why I shouldn't go all out."

Meanwhile, Wilton is trying to pare his 18-player roster down to the MPSF limit of 12 per match. Three players are redshirting, and middle blocker Brian Nordberg, who is recovering from surgery on his right shoulder, is not expected to play.

Backup setter Daniel Rasay, outside hitter Pedro Azenha and serving specialist Matt Bender are assured berths on the active roster, leaving middle blocker Shaun Frederick, outside hitter Ryan Woodward, outside hitter/libero Matt Motter and Jeschke on the bubble for the final two spots.

Wilton said Azenha, who is 6 feet 5, will serve as the "fireman," backing up the outside hitters and middle blockers. Azenha is most comfortable as an opposite hitter — the position that is aligned on the right side for five of the six rotation turns — although he also can hit from the left side and play middle blocker.

"We'll use him in certain situations," Wilton said. "It's not like other sports, where you can have substitution patterns. To me, it's more situational."

Azenha, who was raised in Brazil, was activated last Saturday after being ineligible for UH's first four matches because of his participation in an international tournament last year.

"I'm getting more comfortable," he said.