Warriors will shuffle lineup again

[Noname]

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team is contemplating its fifth different starting lineup in three weeks for Thursday's road match against Pepperdine.

During yesterday's 2 1/2-hour practice, senior Jake Muise replaced sophomore libero Alfred "Alfie" Reft, who has started every match this season, and Pedro Azenha played in place of outside hitter/primary passer Ryan Woodward.

"I want some change," said UH coach Mike Wilton, referring to the 3-5 record during the recently completed month-long homestand. "I want us to play good. That's all I want."

If Cal State Northridge loses two matches this week and UH sweeps Pepperdine Thursday and Friday, the Warriors would finish fourth in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The top four finishers host opening-round matches in the eight-team MPSF playoffs.

Wilton said Azenha, who opened the season at opposite hitter and played left-side hitter last week, has earned a spot in the lineup. If Azenha is at left-side hitter, then Woodward will start at outside hitter/primary passer. If Azenha is the primary passer, then Delano Thomas, an All-America middle blocker last season, opens at left-side hitter.

Azenha said he is confident he can handle the extra passing. "I've passed before," he said. "I'm OK."

Wilton is prepared to turn to Muise, who started last season but was not on the 12-player active roster most of this season. "He brings some good emotional stuff," Wilton said. "It's nothing against Alfie."

Muise said: "If that's what coach chooses for me to help the team out, I'll do that. That's fine. This is by no means a hit on Alfie. Alfie is a great player. Alfie will be the best libero who will ever come through Hawai'i. Guaranteed. Maybe (Wilton is) looking for a little more experience and little more fire."

[warriordudette88]

interesting decision by wilton. right now i believe that alfred and jake are pretty equal so the experience and leadership that jake brings edges out alfred. hawaii has really struggled with their passing because they have not found someone who can pass as well as eyal and also provide offense. not to say that woody, arri, jose, and delano aren't competent. without passing, the offense will not produce.

[BarcelonaBob]

I think that's UH's problem in a nutshell this season. They've got alot of bangers, but no one to pass. Reft is probably their most reliable passer, with Woodard being next best. If UH is going to improve in the next few years and challenge for a title, someone in the Bender/Delgado/Azenha mix has really got to work hard at becoming a passer, or UH has got to go out and try to recruit some. I don't think any of the 3 of them could ever develop into top passers, they've spent so much of their careers as primary hitters.

The other problem UH will have in the coming years is at MB - with the emergence of LeBarre and Dante this season, where does that leave Thomas? I believe he should go back to the middle, it's his best position. But if he does go back, then one of those other guys will be sitting.

Wilton's tinkered with his lineup so much this season, he should have tried Woodard opposite the setter (where he can pass middle for 5 out of 6 rotations) then put any combination of his big bangers (Bender/Azenha/Thomas/Delgado) at the two leftside positions. That's the lineup and rotation he used in 2002 when UH won the championship with Zimet at Opp, and Costas and Tony Ching at leftside. Zimet gobbled up most of the passing, and was good enough offensively to put balls away on both the left and right, while Costas and Ching were freed up more to bang away (Ching on the left and pipe, Costas from the left/right/D) while helping out to pass for only a few rotations each.

[kolohekeiki]

warriordudette88 said:

interesting decision by wilton. right now i believe that alfred and jake are pretty equal so the experience and leadership that jake brings edges out alfred. hawaii has really struggled with their passing because they have not found someone who can pass as well as eyal and also provide offense. not to say that woody, arri, jose, and delano aren't competent. without passing, the offense will not produce.

I'm sorry, but IMO Alfred Reft is by far a better passer and defender than Jake Muise. But I give Jake credit for filling the big shoes of Vernon Podlewski, but Alfred Reft has to be in there because he is by far Hawai`i's best passer and with the lack of passing this season they are going to need Alfie in the game.