Warriors prepare for new season with exhibitions

Hawaii hits the court tomorrow against British Columbia

The reddish color tinting Gym I yesterday wasn't residue from New Year's Eve firecrackers. It was self-described rust as the Hawaii men's volleyball team took the court for the first practice of 2007.

The layer was particularly thick on senior middle Dio Dante, whose injured right thumb had him missing the final four weeks of fall camp. Dante is expected to start tomorrow when the Warriors take on a tough University of British Columbia team in the first of two exhibitions.

MEN'S VOLLEYBALL Who: British Columbia at Hawaii When: Tomorrow and Friday, 7 p.m. Where: Stan Sheriff Center Radio: None TV: Both nights, KFVE, live Tickets: $3-$6 WARRIOR SCHEDULE Jan.--3 & 5: British Columbia (exhibition). 12-13: x-at UC Irvine. 18-19: x-Pacific. 26: Outrigger Hotels Invitational, BYU vs. Penn State, 4 p.m.; Hawaii vs. Loyola Chicago, 7 p.m. 27: OHI, BYU vs. Loyola Chicago, 4 p.m.; Hawaii vs. Penn State, 7 p.m. 31: x-at UCLA. Feb.--2: x-at UCLA. 8-9: x-UC Santa Barbara. 14 & 16: x- USC. 23-24: x-at BYU. March-- 2: Alumni vs. alumni, 4 p.m.; UH vs. alumni, 7 p.m. 8 & 10: x-Pepperdine. 16-17: x-CSU Northridge; 23-24: Lewis. 29-30: x-at UC San Diego. April--6-7: x-at Long Beach State. 13-14: x-Stanford. 18: MPSF play-in match, TBA. 21: MPSF quarterfinals, TBA. 26: MPSF semifinals, TBA. 28: MPSF final. May--3: NCAA semifinals, at Ohio State. 5: NCAA final, at Ohio State. x-denotes Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match All home matches at 7 p.m., Stan Sheriff Center

"I haven't played in two months," said Dante, one of four Warrior seniors. "I'm expecting to have to shake off some serious rust before facing serious competition.

"Our preseason looked pretty promising and I think we could be better than last season. We had a disappointing end to our season, a tough loss that made us want to be better this year."

The Warriors (23-5) had their season ended by eventual NCAA champion UCLA in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation quarterfinal. It was the final match for five Hawaii seniors, including All-Americans Alfred Reft and Matt Carere, and All-MPSF selections Jose Delgado and Mauli'a La Barre. The other was co-captain Matt Bender, injured for most of the season.

"We lost five incredible players, all of whom could have started on any team in the conference," assistant coach Jason Salmeri said. "One is on the national team (libero Reft), the other playing pro (Carere in Austria).

"We lost some real leaders, but every year leaders step up and we have those in (senior setter Brian) Beckwith, Lauri (senior hitter Hakala) and (junior hitter Jacob) Schkud. And Dio is really stepping it up. I think he's upset about not getting All-American and is out to prove something."

It all begins tomorrow with UBC (7-3), ranked sixth midway through its season. The Thunderbirds swept the Warriors (25-22, 25-22, 25-22) during the round-robin portion of the Thunderball Tournament on Oct. 13, but Hawaii rallied to win in five the next night at War Memorial Gym, earning the title 17-25, 19-25, 25-18, 15-12.

Beckwith and freshman hitter Steven Grgas were named to the all-tournament team, although senior hitter Eric Kalima led the Warriors with a double-double (14 kills, 11 digs).

"It may say exhibition, but it is anything but that," Warrior coach Mike Wilton said. "They are really good. They rocked us five straight games then we won the last three to win the tournament."

That loss stayed with the T-Birds for the next few weeks as they dropped their next two matches and three of five. UBC has regrouped to win its last five Canadian Interuniversity Sport matches, and are in second in the Canada West conference.

"Since that five-set loss to Hawaii, we haven't played as well," UBC coach Richard Schick said in a press release. "These matches will hopefully set the tone for our second half and give us a push."

While the Canadians are midway through their season, Hawaii hasn't played since its exhibitions against Long Beach State on Nov. 2 and 3. The Warriors open MPSF play at defending league champion UC Irvine on Jan. 12 and 13.

Hawaii has a number of questions that need to be answered by next week. The most pressing need is at libero, where freshman Ric Cervantes had all fall to make his case.

However, two others were officially in the mix as of yesterday: junior Mikey China, a Punahou product who hasn't played since his freshman season at Lewis in 2005, and freshman Justin Ching out of Mid-Pacific, who practiced briefly in the fall.

"It's been a long, long time since I've played at this level," said China, used mostly as a defensive specialist in 26 matches with the Flyers. "I've got to get used to the speed of the ball and speed of the game again. I've been out for two years and there's a lot of rust."

"Our concern is at libero -- and that is wide open -- but the real key will be finding some guys who can play left-side as well as the guys we had last year," Wilton said.

Although Hakala looks to be entrenched at opposite, there's a chance he could play on the left. Some of the lineup possibilities also hinge on who is passing in the backcourt in certain rotations.

Among those jockeying for playing time at outside hitter are Kalima and Schkud, a converted middle, and Grgas. Hawaii's strength looks to be at middle with Dante, junior Kyle Klinger and freshman Matt Rawson all solid.

"It's always exciting to start a season," Beckwith said. "New Year's Day in the gym explains itself."

Note: Kalima and Hakala were selected co-captains in a vote by the UH players and coaches.