Wednesday, January 13, 1999
Rainbow playbook
UC-San Diego Tritons
Coach: Jon Stevenson (1st season, 1-1).
Season: 1-1 overall, 0-1 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
Top players: Devon Jeffcoat, 6-6 senior middle blocker (2.3 kills per game, 0.67 blocks per game, .393 hitting percentage); Bill Sinclair, 6-5 senior middle blocker (1.3 kpg, .368); Zack Hite, 6-2 sophomore outside hitter (0.50 bpg, 1.0 ace per game); Kurt Seckington, 6-0 senior setter (7.33 assists per game).
Interesting facts: Hawaii leads the series, 20-0. The teams met twice last season with the Rainbows winning both in straight sets ... Punahou graduate Kaeo Griffin, a 5-11 junior opposite, is in his first year with the Tritons. He has played in two games and has two kills ... UCSD opened the season with a 15-1, 15-2, 15-1 victory over the Stevens Institute of Technology last week. The Tritons dropped their MPSF opener at Pepperdine Saturday, 15-2, 15-4, 15-9, as Punahou product Scott Wong led the Waves with 13 kills, hitting .579 ... UCSD went 0-19 in the MPSF last season.
Over the Rainbows: Hawaii is the defending Pacific Division champion and should be in contention again for a division title, as well as a national title. What experience the Rainbows lost to graduation (primary passer Naveh Milo, hitter Jason Salmeri and blocker Sivan Leone) they've added in size and athleticism. Hawaii has one of the biggest frontlines in the country with six players 6-6 and taller: Andre Breuer (6-9), Clay Stanley (6-9), Dejan Miladinovic (6-7), Ole Kaven (6-7), Torry Tukuafu (6-6) and Cori Kamanao (6-6)... The Rainbows are trying a new passing formation, centered around senior swing hitter Chris Kosty ... Hawaii is 57-11 in the Stan Sheriff Center since 1995.
First serve: 7:05 p.m. tonight and Friday, Stan Sheriff Center
On the air: Live on KFVE (Channel 5).
1999 UH Mens
Volleyball Schedulehttp://uhathletics.hawaii.edu