Thursday, April 12, 2001

Warriors’ season
comes down to
BYU matches

UH can clinch home court
for the playoffs with a sweep

By Grace Wen
Star-Bulletin

For Torry Tukuafu it is the beginning of the end. But four years ago, it was only the beginning.

The senior captain of the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team started his career at Brigham Young University, but unforeseen circumstances -- such as falling in love with the woman he eventually married, Andrea Gomez-Tukuafu -- brought him to Hawaii.

And now he will be back in Utah to play in quite possibly the most important matches of his career, as the top-ranked Warriors battle the No. 2 Cougars for the right to host the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoffs.

"We all know that they're a good team and we respect them," Tukuafu said, "but we also believe in our game and we know what we need to do."

When UH head coach Mike Wilton scheduled the series, both he and BYU head coach Carl McGown were hoping the matches would bear some significance. Little did they know that this weekend's volleyball matches could decide the postseason fate of both teams.

A Hawaii sweep would give the Warriors home court throughout the MPSF playoffs and make them the top contender for an at-large berth into the NCAA tournament should they not win the conference's automatic bid. A split or two losses gives the Cougars hosting rights and gives UH a tougher road to the NCAAs.

In more ways than one, the top ranked Warriors face their toughest challenge tomorrow night against BYU, perhaps more difficult than beating UCLA in Pauley Pavilion. The Warriors play the Cougars at Smith Fieldhouse this weekend, a gym notorious for packing rowdy fans, who literally sit right behind players as they serve. Should the Warriors not fare well this weekend, a return trip to Smith Fieldhouse in two weeks for the MPSF championship looms ahead.

Hawaii received good news concerning the health of the duo primarily responsible for the offense. Costas Theocharidis, who leads the team in hitting at 5.07 kills per game, will be in the lineup, as will Eyal Zimet, the team's most consistent passer and leading server.

Both had been sidelined by injuries in last weekend's exhibition matches against Alberta, with Theocharidis suffering from tendinitis in his left knee and Zimet still recovering from a shin fracture in his left leg.

"I'm trying to get over the injury stuff in my mind," Theocharidis said. "These games are huge games for us. If we win, we play the whole championship here, so it's a big deal.

"BYU is a real good team. These games are going to be serving and passing. If we serve well and pass well, we're going to beat them. I don't believe there is any team in this country that can beat us if we play our game."

Gameday When: 3 p.m. HST, tomorrow and Saturday Where: Provo, Utah TV: None Radio:Live, KCCN 1420-AM Internet: www.byutv.org Notes: Setter Hector Lebron returns after redshirting last season. Lebron set the Cougars to their first NCAA championship in 1999. ... BYU holds an 11-9 advantage in the series and is 7-1 in meetings at Provo.

Starting Lineups

Hawaii (17-4, 12-3)

		Ht.	KPG	Aces	Digs
S	Kimo Tuyay (Fr.)	6-2	.35	14	103
MB	Dejan Miladinovic (Jr.)	6-7	1.96	19	22
MB	Brenton Davis (Sr.)	6-5	2.52	14	41
OH	Costas Theocharidis (So.)	6-3	5.07	15	110
OH	Tony Ching (So.)	6-2	2.20	6	36
Opp	Torry Tukuafu (Sr.)	6-5	3.07	21	87
L	Vernon Podlewski (Jr.)	5-8	N/A	N/A	167

Brigham young (18-3, 12-3)

		Ht.	KPG	Aces	Digs
S	Hector Lebron (Sr.)	6-2	.74	4	65
MB	Mac Wilson (Sr.)	6-9	1.30	5	6
MB	Matt Olsen (Jr.)	6-6	2.18	13	23
OH	Mike Wall (Jr.)	6-4	4.64	7	91
OH	Scott Bunker (Sr.)	6-5	2.60	21	60
Opp	Joaquin Acosta (Jr.)	6-4	2.60	17	61
L	Fernando Pessoa (Fr.)	6-4	N/A	N/A	115

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