The only cure for an ailing University of Hawai'i volleyball team is an upset of top-ranked Pepperdine tonight.

"It's all or nothing," setter Brian Beckwith said.

The Warriors, who are 3-11 overall and 3-9 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, figure they need to win eight of their final 10 regular-season league matches to qualify for the eight-team playoffs.

"It is a fun challenge, kind of like we have nothing to lose," Beckwith said. "We might as well play our hearts out and leave it all on the line. Each game, from here on out, is as important as a championship game."

The Warriors enter with health issues. Middle blocker Dio Dante said the ball of his left foot still is sore after he stepped on a wana (sea urchin) last Friday.

"I feel like such a baby, but it's a killer," Dante said.

Dante said the tip of the wana's spine is imbedded in his left foot. Doctors were able to remove only pieces of the spine.

"They can't find the end piece," Dante said.

He said his left gym shoe has been fitted with special padding.

Gellin'?

"Like Magellan," Dante said.

He added: "It's in a crucial spot, right on the pad, right by toes. If it were on my heel, I could stand on my toes. It still bothers me."

If Dante can't play, UH will turn to Kyle Klinger, a junior who has played in five matches this season.

Klinger is efficient hitting quick sets, but he has been the least productive blocker among the three UH middles.

"Blocking is a tough thing," Klinger said. "It takes reps. If you don't get the reps, you don't block well. Blocking in practice every day is a lot different than blocking against other teams. When I have the reps, I do well, and when I don't, I struggle like anybody else. It's definitely the part I need to work on the most, which is why I work on it the hardest."

Libero Eric Kalima also did not practice yesterday because of flu-like symptoms. Kalima, his head covered with a hoodie, spent practice sitting alone at the end of the UH bench.

Asked about his availability, he said, "Don't know."

Ric Cervantes, a freshman from Santa Barbara, has been the No. 1 libero in practices.

Cervantes, who played well during fall training, opened the season as the starting libero. But by the second week, he was replaced, with Kalima moving from left-side hitter.

Of his second chance, Cervantes said: "Any opportunity that is given to me is a blessing. I have to take advantage of it. I try to mentally focus within myself. I say to myself: 'What can I do better?' I try to do that."

Cervantes has honed his skills after three months of practices.

"I thought I was ready at the beginning of the season, but even more so now, because I've gotten more experience," Cervantes said. "The more experience you get, the more comfortable you get."

Pepperdine's only loss was in five games against Long Beach State Jan. 19. Since then setter Jonathan Winder has recovered from a leg injury, and opposite attacker Paul Carroll has become one of the nation's most productive hitters. Carroll is averaging 5.94 kills per game while receiving 33 percent of the Waves' sets. Carroll's quick-breaking, left-handed serves are difficult to pass.

The Waves also are efficient passers, in large part because of Winder's reach. Winder, at 6 feet 8, is the MPSF's tallest setter. That allows him to easily parlay high passes into well-place sets.

"They're a good team," UH coach Mike Wilton said. "They're the kind of team that exposes weaknesses."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.