Even before the first serve, the University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team finds itself scrambling.

The Warriors, who open their season today in the Outrigger Hotels Invitational, will be without their top returning kill leader while also handing over the setting duties to a player recovering from a fractured hand.

Matthew Vanzant, who averaged 3.03 kills a game last season, is on a "leave of absence," said UH coach Mike Wilton.

The 6-foot-2 Vanzant would most likely be the go-to hitter with the departure of last year's senior kill-leader Lauri Hakala.

"We're just trying to get some people good enough to settle in at some positions right now, especially at outside hitter," Wilton said. "I think we're kind of a patchwork quilt right now. But we're gonna be OK. You know, we just need some time. We're going to be starting one senior (Jacob Schkud), so we have a lot of underclassmen in the program right now."

The Warriors also will be employing a new setter in former 'Iolani star Sean Carney, who is recovering from a fractured right (hitting) hand and replacing Brian Beckwith. As a senior last season, Beckwith tallied 88 percent of the team's sets.

"His hand is healed and it should be taped up," said Wilton of the fourth-year junior.

Carney, chosen by teammates as the co-captain along with Schkud, said he injured his hand when he tripped and fell while moving into his new home in October.

"We think we have a line-up right now, it could change after practice. Sean Carney will set, the libero will be Ric Cervantes (2.05 digs per game); Matt Rawson (1.31 blocks per game) and Steven Grgas will play middle and Jake Schkud (1.92 kpg) will be at opposite."

One of the outside hitters will be Jimbo Clar (3.70 kills per game).

The Warriors won't be given much time to settle in. The tournament features two of the nation's top four teams.

UCLA, ranked No. 3 in the CSTV/AVCA men's top 15 coaches poll, and Penn State, ranked No. 4, highlight the field, which includes Ball State. UH is ranked No. 11.

The three-day invitational at Stan Sheriff Center ends Saturday with matches at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. each day. UH will play in the late match each night.

The Warriors finished 13-14 overall last season and 11-11 (tied for sixth) in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

UH was picked to finish eighth in the 2008 MPSF preseason coaches' poll released in December.

The league features powers Pepperdine, BYU, UCLA and UC Irvine, all ranked in the top five of the CSTV/AVCA poll. UC Irvine won the NCAA title last season.

UCLA, which finished 19-11 overall and 13-9 in the MPSF last season, returns first-team all-conference libero Tony Ker (2.43 dpg).

The Bruins also return outside hitter Garrett Muagututia and middle blocker Jamie Diefenbach.

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