Warriors
facing road trip
It was not a good omen.
The Hawaii men's volleyball team had to go hunting for a practice gym yesterday when gymnasts for this week's Pacific Alliance Championships were camped out in the Stan Sheriff Center, Klum Gym and Gym I. So Gym II it was ... perhaps a harbinger of the scenario for the first round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
The Warriors traveled yesterday around lower campus and likely will have to travel for the April 24 first-round match. Saturday's loss to UC Irvine didn't completely eliminate Hawaii from finishing fourth in the standings, but it did little to help the Warriors' chances.
Hawaii is currently sixth at 12-8 and a game behind Cal State Northridge and Pepperdine, which are tied for fourth at 13-7. Northridge has the head-to-head tiebreaker over both UH and Pepperdine should either tie the Matadors.
The only way the Warriors will host is if Northridge loses twice this week (at UCLA and at UC Irvine) and if Hawaii is able to defeat Pepperdine twice at Firestone Fieldhouse. History is not on the Warriors' side in this one; they have never defeated the Waves in Malibu in seven visits under coach Mike Wilton.
"It's ironic that, back in September, Kimo (Tuyay) and I were talking about how one of our goals our last season was we wanted to beat Pepperdine at Pepperdine," said UH senior co-captain Jake Muise. "Now it comes down to beating them twice. We have walked into that gym so many times and lost.
"Firestone is a great place to play. It's a great floor, a good atmosphere. I don't know what it is that we have never won there. We're definitely planning on changing that."
Hawaii has actually won in Malibu under Wilton, but the Warriors defeated UC Santa Barbara in the 2002 MPSF Tournament semifinals. UH then lost to Pepperdine in the final, but avenged that loss a week later when defeating the Waves on a neutral court (Penn State's Rec Hall) for the NCAA title.
Overall, Hawaii is 4-15 against Pepperdine at Firestone and hasn't won since taking both matches in the 1989 season when Alan Rosehill was the coach.
"I was at Pauley Pavilion when Coach got his first win there over UCLA," sophomore middle Mauli'a LaBarre said of the victory in 2001. "And I'd like to be part of the first win there (at Pepperdine). That it would be the first win there would be great, but what's important that we get the two wins and be able to play at home. That would be big for us.
"We've got to step it up and play well. More than anything, we need to get momentum going into the playoffs and keep our thoughts positive."
Where the Warriors will end up for the first round won't be determined until Saturday, the final night of the regular season. They could be at UCLA, Northridge, Pepperdine or even back home. "I don't care who we play or where," Muise said. "If we have the right mindset, we can beat anybody."
Notes: The Warriors practiced at 6 this morning and were scheduled to leave this afternoon for Los Angeles. ... Sophomore middle Dio Dante did not practice yesterday due to a stomach problem, but was on the travel roster. ... Sophomore hitter Jose Delgado will replace senior Arri Jeschke on this trip. Also making the trip are Pedro Azenha, Matt Bender, Brian Beckwith, Ryan Woodward, Delano Thomas, Alfred Reft, Josh Stanhiser, LaBarre, Tuyay and Muise.
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MPSF standings
Conference Overall W L Pct. W L xy-BYU 18 2 .900 22 4 x-Long Beach State 17 4 .810 24 5 x-UCLA 15 5 .750 21 4 x-CSU Northridge 13 7 .650 19 8 x-Pepperdine 13 7 .650 17 9 x-Hawaii 12 8 .600 16 10 x-UC Santa Barbara 9 11 .450 15 12 UC Irvine 6 14 .300 12 17 Stanford 6 14 .300 9 16 Pacific 4 16 .200 8 19 USC 4 16 .200 6 21 UC San Diego 4 17 .190 8 19
x-clinched MPSF Tournament berth
y-clinched MPSF regular-season title
z-nonconference
This week's matches
Tonight
z-California Baptist at UC San Diego
Tomorrow
CSU Northridge at UCLA
Stanford at Pacific
UC Santa Barbara at UC Irvine
Thursday
Hawaii at Pepperdine, 4 p.m. HST
UCSB at UC Irvine
USC at BYU
Friday
Hawaii at Pepperdine, 4 p.m. HST
CSU Northridge at UC Irvine
Pacific at Stanford
UCLA at UC Santa Barbara
USC at BYU
UC San Diego at Long Beach State
End regular season
