Sports Update
By Star-Bulletin Staff
Saturday, March 15, 1997
For the first time in two months, the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team had its Taraflex sport court underfoot at the Special Events Arena. The surface is springier than the hardwood floor shared with the basketball teams.
"It's more forgiving on the legs, there's more spring," said Hawaii captain Aaron Wilton.
Friday night, the Rainbows had spring in their steps and were unforgiving on defense against one of the toughest serving teams in the country. No. 11 Hawaii (10-7) restored some of its swagger lost in recent weeks with a 15-13, 15-5, 15-6 sweep of 10th-ranked Lewis College in 91 minutes.
"The key was we started playing our game again," said Wilton, who put down 12 kills. "We started off with more fire than we have been. We have had no confidence the past few weeks.
"Lewis is a great serving team and we expect them to come out twice as hard Saturday, come out with more energy. I'm sure they're jet-lagged."
Lewis (16-6) has literally been the Frequent Flyers in the past two weeks, making a four-match trip to California, then returning home to Illinois to host Ohio State Wednesday. The Flyers left at 6 a.m. Thursday for Hawaii and "maybe we left some of our focus out over the Pacific," said Lewis coach Dave Deuser.
"I don't want to make excuses but maybe I'm underestimating the effect of the traveling," he said. "I'm glad we get a second shot at them. We weren't doing the things we're capable of. We lost confidence and when you fragment into six pieces on the court, it's over."
Well, the Rainbows will once again roll the dice against UNLV at the Thomas and Mack Center - and both teams will hope another old saying comes true for them: The third time is a charm.
"We don't worry about any of that," UH head coach Riley Wallace said Friday. "We just have to go in there and play."
The Rainbows (21-7) and Rebels (21-9) will meet in the second-round game of the National Invitation Tournament on Monday at 5:30 p.m. (HST) at the Thomas and Mack Center. The game will be televised live on Oceanic Channel 31.
Hawaii won the first WAC match between the two, 66-65, when UH guard Anthony Carter calmly sank two free throws with one second left in the game in front of 17,133 screaming fans.
The Rainbows also won the second game, 66-64, at the Special Events Arena when UNLV guard Jermaine Smith's layup at the buzzer rolled out of the basket like a souped-up roulette ball.
Wallace admitted that the odds are with Vegas this time around, especially since Hawaii had 7-1 center Seth Sundberg -- who is out for the season with a lacerated spleen -- for both of the previous victories.