Warriors from different worlds bow out together

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Only in the melting pot of college volleyball could the University of Hawai'i's Pedro Azenha and Daniel Rasay find common interest.

Pedro Azenha, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, left, and Daniel Rasay, of Kailua, Kona, will play their final UH home match Saturday against Pacific. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

Azenha, a 6-foot-7 opposite hitter, is the Warriors' best attacker, using a powerful right arm to launch shots at the speed of blur.

Rasay, a 6-foot-2 backup setter, relies on his quick wit and sizzling one-liners to remain upbeat while waiting for slivers of playing time.

Azenha is learning to control his emotions and animated outbursts. "I'm trying to be more careful," he said.

Rasay, in turn, is an introvert in an extrovert's body. Although he delights the crowds with his antics —"Hi, Mom!" taped to his warmups, bright green headband, and a sunscreen-demanding pink shirt — Rasay confesses to being "kind of a shy guy."

Both players, UH coach Mike Wilton said, "are important to the team in different ways."

Wilton said "Pedro has progressed unbelievably as a player and leader. Daniel has been a role model of good person/team player. He's wonderful."

Azenha and Rasay will be honored as part of the "Senior Night" festivities following Saturday's regular-season finale against Pacific in the Stan Sheriff Center. The series opener is tomorrow night.

Both will be celebrated for competing in a sport that was not their first choice.

Azenha said he was "too tall and skinny and not coordinated for soccer." He was encouraged to try out for volleyball, which gained popularity locally after Brazil's men's team won the gold medal in the 1992 Olympics.

"I tried volleyball and I really liked it a lot," Azenha said. "I've been playing since then. It gave me a lot of

Rasay was involved in golf, tennis and basketball when he was asked to join a club volleyball team. "It kind of fit into my schedule," he said, "and I had a real passion for it."

While Azenha chose UH from among several scholarship offers, Rasay only drew interest from Division III programs.

"I thought about playing time and I thought about living a dream," said Rasay, a lifelong UH fan. "I chose to step up to a challenge."

NCAA limits force a men's volleyball team to divide the financial equivalent of 4.5 scholarships among its players. Months after helping the Warriors defeat Penn State in the semifinals of the 2002 NCAA Championships, Rasay received a partial scholarship.

During his first meeting with Wilton, Rasay remembered being told scholarships were awarded only to starters.

"I didn't expect it when he gave me a scholarship," Rasay said. "I was grateful, but I never expected it."

Rasay said he already had been rewarded when he qualified for the 12-player travel roster.

"Before I came into this program, I had been to the Mainland twice," Rasay said. "We go more than that in one year. Being in the program broadened my horizons by the people we've met and the places we've gone. We went to China for free. I never would have had that opportunity if I didn't play volleyball."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.