Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Monday, April 24, 2000
Lackluster finish
for Rainbows
A quick exit in the playoffs has
By Dave Reardon
Hawaii already focusing on
recruiting and next season
Star-BulletinLOS ANGELES -- You didn't need to find the black box to figure out this crash-and-burn.
Just a stat sheet would do. Kills: 64 to 45. Hitting: .481 to .165. Blocks: 11 to 6. Digs: 18 to 14.
The University of Hawaii men's volleyball team could barely bring itself to sift through the wreckage for positives Saturday at North Gym on the USC campus.
After Saturday's 15-9, 15-10, 15-4 dissecting by the Trojans in the first round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoffs, all the Rainbows could do was hope for a safe flight home, focus on finals, and think about next season.
With almost everyone returning, Hawaii has reason to expect improvement in 2001 on this year's 19-10 final record.
Libero Russell Lockwood is the only one who won't be back on the court for sure -- but this year's lone senior and inspirational leader will remain as a graduate assistant.
And 6-foot-7 middle Dejan Milandovic should be back to form after taking a medical redshirt year.
Outside hitter Clay Stanley might forego his senior season, however, to join the U.S. National Team.
Stanley said he was "not sure" when asked Saturday if he'd played his last match as a Rainbow.
The 6-foot-9 Kaiser High graduate emerged as a vocal leader, in practices and matches.
His potential has never been questioned, and he became more consistent this season.
But even he couldn't solve the Trojans' block Saturday, which seemed to predict where the Rainbows would hit nearly every play.
"They touched everything they didn't block. I tried to find openings, but there weren't many," said Stanley who finished with 11 kills, but 10 errors.
Costas Theocharidis, Hawaii's other go-to outside hitter, wasn't much better with a team-high 16 kills, but eight errors.
"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that Costas and Clay get a lot of the swings," USC coach Pat Powers said. "We loaded up (the block) on those guys."
UH never seemed comfortable, even though it led early in all three games.
"The points we got we really had to earn," Hawaii coach Mike Wilton said. "And we gave them up in droves."
Trojans' senior setter Donald Suxho found Brook Billings, Eli Fairfield and Beau Rawi at the right times and in the right places.
The Rainbows tried not to use North Gym -- think Klum Gym, but about half the size -- as an excuse. After all, an injury-depleted UH team had led USC in games in both regular-season matches there.
"They were significantly better (than they were in March)," Wilton said of the Trojans. "They won against some real good teams late in the season."
So did Hawaii. But, apparently, the claustrophobic setting, in which USC is now 13-0 this year, did get to the Rainbows.
"I think it was added pressure for us coming back here," Stanley said. "I don't think any of us like playing here. But good teams deal with pressure. Hopefully this team will deal with pressure better next year."
This season, the Rainbows had to learn to deal with each other before anything else.
UH started the year with nine newcomers. Although Hawaii has always had an eclectic roster, this is probably its most diverse, with players from five different countries and five different states.
They've grown to care about each other, on and off the court despite some rocky spots.
"People were nervous with each other and made mistakes. We got on each other for things, little things.
"But we became more patient. Throughout the season we got more patient."
The speaker? Suxho, the USC captain from Albania, after Saturday's victory.
So Hawaii isn't the only team that has had to blend personalities, cultural differences and playing styles.
The Trojans did it, and they battled through a mid-season slump, much like the Rainbows.
But USC, which has sophomores where Hawaii has freshmen, seniors where UH has juniors, has obviously taken it a step further.
The Hawaii players sound willing to do the same.
"Sometimes the Europeans stay one year and leave," freshman Geronimo Chala said. "I asked Costas, Eyal (Zemet) and Stefen (Krejci), 'Are you guys gonna come back?' They all replied yeah, especially after what happened this year.
"I think Clay will be back too. I think we're all coming back with big, burning intentions. This team, school, state and coaches deserve it."
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
