Injury-plagued LaBarre hopes to play Friday night
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Despite aggravating his sprained left ankle during yesterday's volleyball practice, University of Hawai'i middle blocker Mauli'a LaBarre is hopeful of playing in Friday's match against second-ranked Long Beach State.
"We'll see how it goes," said LaBarre, who sat out the final 75 minutes of practice after being inadvertently kicked by teammate Austin Rester.
LABARRE
LaBarre originally suffered the injury when he bumped into a teammate last week. He sat out last Friday's match against California Baptist, played in the rematch the following night but did not practice Monday.
"I keep getting hit or kicked or pushed over," LaBarre said.
UH coach Mike Wilton said: "It's either they don't like him or he's having some bad luck."
An X-ray showed LaBarre has a high-ankle sprain. He said he was told there "might be the beginning" of a stress fracture in the left fibula. Yesterday, LaBarre wore an air-cast brace, a calf-high support using air cushions. LaBarre said he does not have difficulty jumping or moving laterally, but his left ankle is "sensitive to the touch, especially around the heel bone."
"We're concerned about him," Wilton said, "but it's just another opportunity for someone else to step up."
Wilton indicated Dionisio Dante has emerged as a functional replacement. Dante, one of four players reinstated last week after serving a two-match suspension for breaking an undisclosed team rule, put down 24 kills (with no errors) in 34 swings during yesterday's practice. Dante's hitting efficiency of .676 "is just fine," Wilton said.
During the suspension, Dante stayed in shaped by running sprints and lifting weights. "My quickness improved from the running," Dante said. "I'm more confident now that I'm practicing again. I'm going to suck it up now that Mau is possibly hurt."
It does not appear that left-side hitter Delano Thomas, who filled in for LaBarre in last Friday's match, is an option this time. Thomas, an All-America middle blocker last season before changing positions in fall camp, played better on the left side during Saturday's rematch. Wilton said if LaBarre "doesn't get better, Dio will start."
NOTES: After splitting two matches against the NAIA's California Baptist last week, UH dropped one spot, to No. 6, in this week's USA Today/AVCA poll. Brigham Young, which has won a school-record 18 matches in a row, remained at No. 1, followed by Long Beach State. ... Delano Thomas, who did not practice Monday because of a sore throat, worked out yesterday, although he spoke with a rasp. Outside hitter Arri Jeschke and opposite hitter Matt Bender also complained of sore throats. ... After earning grade-point averages of at least 3.0 last semester, Ryan Woodward, Jose Jose Delgado, Eric Kalima, Jake Muise, Kimo Tuyay, Joshua Stanhiser and Bender were invited to next month's UH Scholar-Athlete Breakfast. ... Muise, a senior libero from Canada, has agreed to join the coaching staff as a student assistant next season. ... Another series of Hawai'i Speed and Quickness clinics, coordinated by strength coach Mel deLaura, are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Call 671-3812 for details.
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
