Posted on: Friday, April 16, 2004
Pepperdine overcomes Warriors in four games
| • | Game statistics |
Advertiser Staff
The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team could not overcome self-inflicted mistakes and Pepperdine's active block in losing, 25-30, 33-31, 30-17, 30-25, last night in Malibu, Calif.
The outcome ensured that the Warriors will finish sixth in the 12-team Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and play at UCLA next week in the opening round of the league playoffs.
The Warriors (16-11 and 12-9 in the MPSF) needed the combination of victories over Pepperdine last night and tonight and a Cal State Northridge loss tomorrow to host a first-round match. Only the top four finishers open at home.
The Warriors dominated Game 1 and pushed the Waves into extra play in Game 2. But in Game 3, UH coach Mike Wilton said, "we got off to a horrible start and it kind of composited itself."
By the Waves' 20th point, four UH starters — setter Kimo Tuyay, outside hitter Delano Thomas, opposite hitter Matt Bender and middle blocker Mauli'a LaBarre — were on the bench.
"I wanted them to come out and see what was going on," Wilton said. "That's why we took them out. They sure weren't seeing what was going on out on the court."
The Warriors' collapse came in three parts. At the start of Game 2, the Warriors served cautiously, giving the Waves opportunities to start their offense.
On service receptions, only libero Alfred Reft was consistent with his passes. Pedro Azenha, who usually is an opposite hitter or left-side attacker, was used as a primary passer, enabling Delano Thomas to start on the left side.
"I think our ball control suffered a little at times," Wilton said.
The hic-cup in the passing gave the Waves time to plant their block. The Waves amassed 21 blocks, including 10 solo rejections. Outside hitter Sean Rooney had four solo blocks and four block assists. The Warriors had five blocks.
"They blocked us unbelievably," Wilton said. "Our hitters did a very good job of finding their block. That means we didn't hit high."
Thomas had 28 kills, but only eight in the final two games.
After making four errors and hitting .469 in Game 1, the Warriors finished with 31 attack errors, including 11 in 37 swings in Game 3. They also gave away 21 points on service errors.
"We are what we are," Wilton said. "We can be the way we were in Game 1 or we can be the way we were in Game 3. That's us."
Tonight's rematch ends the regular season for both teams.
The Warriors still are trying to beat the Waves in Firestone Gym for the first time since 1989, a span of nine consecutive losses.
As for the playoffs, Wilton said, "I don't care much about that. That's a long ways away. I'm hoping to build on the good things we did tonight. There were some good things in Games 1 and 2. And coming down the stretch in Game 4, we made a run at them. We just need to keep working at it. We need to keep trying really hard to make the most of each individual play and try to become a more consistent team."
