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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Jan 15, 2015 14:02:42 GMT -5
UH-UCSB volleyball preview
Star-Advertiser
Published on Jan 13, 2015 The Hawaii men's volleyball team hosts UC Santa Barbara on Friday and Sunday.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Jan 15, 2015 14:08:16 GMT -5
As usual, conference is loaded with talentBy Cindy Luis, Honolulu tar-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 15, 2015 LAST UPDATED: 01:45 a.m. HST, Jan 15, 2015 STAR-ADVERTISER “We’re a little different than we’ve been in the past with more depth,” Charlie Wade.Soccer has its Premier League. Volleyball has the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. It's considered by many as the toughest conference in all of college sports. Ten of the 12 teams are in the AVCA Top 15, led by a loaded, veteran Pepperdine squad. However, if Cal Baptist and UC San Diego aren't ranked, no opponent worth its 3-meter attack would treat a match with either the Lancers or the Tritons as a night off. If one does, one will lose. Guaranteed. "No one will be undefeated in this league," Hawaii coach Charlie Wade said. "Pepperdine has largely been intact for four years and, in this league, experience helps. And (UC) Santa Barbara is another favorite with a lot of guys who have been through the league. "We return a nice group. We're a little different than we've been in the past with more depth. There's guys who haven't seen a lot of court time so far who could help us as the season unfolds. We're still searching for what the best lineup is." The same could be said for Wade's staff, which lost associate coach Jeff Hall to the Rainbow Wahine program Monday. Hall replaces Scott Wong — the new Pepperdine head women's indoor coach — as Dave Shoji's associate coach and head sand coach. Assistant coach Milan Zarkovic likely will be promoted from within. Former Rainbow Warrior setter Brian Beckwith was in the practice gym Wednesday, joining Spencer McLachlin as a volunteer coach. Ready or not, Hawaii will host the No. 2 Gauchos Friday and Sunday. The Warriors are seeking a top-eight MPSF finish and a return to the conference tournament after missing out last season. "Here we go," Wade said. MPSF MEN’S VOLLEYBALL CAPSULESA look at the teams in order of the MPSF preseason poll: 1. Pepperdine (5-0, 1-0 MPSF)The second-ranked Waves were the prohibitive favorites to win the league title with 11 first-place votes and 121 points. The 25-point margin over No. 2 UC Santa Barbara was the largest in MPSF history, surpassing UC Irvine’s 12-point differential in the 2007 poll. Marv Dunphy, in his 32nd year, returns six senior starters, including All-Americans Matt West at setter and Punahou graduate Josh Taylor on the outside. Taylor is the older brother of Rainbow Wahine hitter Nikki Taylor. Pepperdine, which was upset by Stanford in the 2014 MPSF tournament semifinals, opened play Wednesday with a 3-0 win at Cal Baptist. 2. UC Santa Barbara (4-0, 0-0)The third-ranked Gauchos opened with four straight wins, the first time that has happened since 2001. UCSB swept St. Francis (Pa.) before going 3-0 in its 51st Asics Invitational (formerly the Elephant Bar) with sweeps of Limestone and Princeton and a 3-1 win over IPFW. Back from the squad that lost at BYU in the MPSF semifinals are junior All-American setter Jonah Self, along with with MPSF honorable mention Jake Staahl, a junior middle. Seventh-year head coach Rick McLaughlin needs 17 wins to reach 100. 3. USC (1-0, 0-0)The eighth-ranked Trojans return All-American senior setter Micah Christianson (Kamehameha), who won the Lloy Ball Award last season as the nation’s top setter and helped the U.S. national team win the FIVB World League gold medal. Also back are All-American sophomore middle Andy Benesh and national freshman of the year Lucas Yoder on the outside. Yoder is the sixth from his family to play for USC, a line that includes dad Bob, who won an NCAA title as a player (1977) and a coach (1980). Bill Ferguson is in his ninth year at USC. 4. UCLA (3-0, 0-0)The fourth-ranked Bruins opened with three wins at the UCSB tournament, defeating St. Francis and IPFW in four sets and sweeping Limestone. Back for third-year coach John Speraw are starters Steve O’Dell, a junior setter, sophomore libero Jackson Bantle, and middles Trent Kersten and Mitch Stahl. The Bruins are young with 13 of 16 players either freshmen or sophomores. 5. UC Irvine (4-1, 0-0)The Anteaters rebounded from a season-opening loss to Lewis by winning the 21st Outrigger Resorts Invitational with a 3-2 win over Penn State and sweeps of Ohio State and Hawaii. Sophomore hitter Tamir Hershko earned Most Outstanding Player honors and was named the MPSF Player of the Week on Monday. Joining him on the all-tournament team were sophomore setter Michael Saeta and senior opposite Zack La Cavera, the latter who sat out the loss to the Flyers with an ankle injury. Former Anteater setter David Kniffin is in his third year at his alma mater. UCI defeated George Mason 3-0 Wednesday. 6. BYU (1-1, 0-0)The seventh-ranked Cougars split a pair of matches at the Stanford tournament, falling to defending national champion Loyola-Chicago in four and outlasting Lewis in five. Fifth-year coach Chris McGown lost four-time All-American and 2014 national player of the year Taylor Sander to graduation but picks up younger brother Brenden, a 6-foot-4 outside hitter. Back for BYU are five starters, including all-MPSF hitter Josue Rivera, a senior, and junior middle Michael Hatch, who was third nationally in blocks. Also returning is senior libero Jaylen Reyes (Kamehameha), son of former Hawaii associate coach Tino Reyes. 7. Hawaii (3-1, 0-0)The ninth-ranked Rainbow Warriors finished second at their 21st Outrigger Resorts Invitational, swept by UC Irvine in Sunday’s championship match. Leading the Warriors are senior All-American middle Taylor Averill, junior hitter Siki Zarkovic and senior opposite Brooke Sedore, the latter two who were named to the Outrigger all-tournament team. Sophomore Jennings Franciskovic has made an immediate impact, moving into the starting setter’s role. Junior libero Kolby Kanetake led last week’s tournament in digs. Sophomore hitter Kupono Fey gained confidence and experience with the U.S. junior national team during the summer. Charlie Wade is in his sixth season as coach. 8. CSUN (2-2, 0-0)The 15th-ranked Matadors swept George Mason Tuesday in 82 minutes, getting 14 kills from junior hitter Sam Holt to even their record. CSUN — rebranding itself from Cal State Northridge — went 1-2 at the UCSB tournament, sandwiching a sweep of St. Francis between five-set losses to IPFW and Princeton. Jeff Campbell, in his 18th season, returns five starters from the team that finished 10th in the MPF. Besides Holt, back for the Matadors are senior middle Greg Faulkner and senior setter Travis Magorien. Sophomore libero Michael Horita (Kamehameha) is redshirting this season. 9. Stanford (1-2, 0-0)The 12th-ranked Cardinal will host the NCAA final four in May but may be on the sidelines watching. Stanford was swept in both matches of the AVCA Showcase at Maples Pavilion, to Lewis and to Loyola-Chicago in a rematch of the 2014 national championship. The leading returnees are All-American juniors James Shaw, a setter, and middle Conrad Kaminski. Both sophomore hitter Gabriel Vega (‘Iolani) and freshman libero Evan Enriques (Kamehameha-Hawaii) have played in all three matches with Enriques making the transition from all-state hitter to backing up senior Grant Delgado. MPSF Coach of the Year John Kosty is in his ninth season. 10. Long Beach State (4-0, 1-0)The 11th-ranked 49ers are looking to surprise the pollsters, remaining unbeaten with a sweep of UC San Diego on Wednesday. The Beach matched host UCSB with a 3-0 record in last week’s Asics Invitational with sweeps of Princeton, Limestone and St. Francis. Junior hitter Cody Martin has seven straight double-doubles dating back to the final four matches of 2014 and is averaging 4.00 kps. After sitting out last year with an injury, junior opposite John La Rusch is back and averaging 3.17 kps. Sophomore Matt Butler appears to be making a successful move from defensive specialist to setter. Alan Knipe returns for his 12th season. 11. Cal Baptist (2-2, 0-1)The unranked Lancers saw their two-match win streak ended Wednesday at home by Pepperdine. Division II CBU opened with a four-set loss to Ohio State then road sweeps at Holy Names and UC Merced, the latter where the Lancers had a program-record 16 aces against the Bobcats. CBU is as young as UCLA with 12 newcomers, including nine freshmen, on its 19-man roster. Third-year coach Wes Schneider does have depth and some experience, led by outside hitters Jonathan Tuttle, a senior, and junior Rocky DeLyon. Freshman Zachary Melcher has made an immediate impact at setter. 12. UC San Diego (1-2, 0-1)The unranked Tritons dropped their MPSF opener at Long Beach State Wednesday. The Tritons opened the season with a 3-1 loss at Concordia before pulling out a five-setter at Grand Canyon, a team that also lost to USC in five. The Tritons have no seniors and just three juniors. Freshman opposite Tanner Syftestad leads the team at 2.89 kps and sophomore Shayne Beamer, settling in at middle blocker after spot-duty on the outside last season, is second at 2.38. Kevin Ring is in his 10th season.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Jan 16, 2015 16:02:57 GMT -5
Smart is a big part of Siki's successSharp instincts and a calm court presence give Siki Zarkovic an edgeBy Cindy Luis, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 16, 2015 DARRYL OUMI / JAN. 9 Siki Zarkovic is the son of a coach, a player who knows well the intricacies of the game.The Greeks have a word for it: exypnos. It means "smart." It's how Siki Zarkovicdescribes the way he plays — has to play — the sport he loves. Hawaii's junior outside hitter — who speaks Greek in addition to Serbian and English — admits he is not an imposing 6 feet 4, his frame toned more like that of a swimmer … which Zarkovic was competitively, growing up in Cyprus. But what the Serbian national does have is a high volleyball I.Q. The skills can be taught. The instinct? That is something else. Consider last Friday's match against then-No. 3 Penn State. Hawaii had worked hard to rally in Set 1 after trailing 21-18. The Rainbow Warriors fought to tie at 22 and 23, and when Aaron Russell's kill gave the Nittany Lions set point at 24-23, Hawaii called a timeout. The plan? The "bick" — a low pipe set from behind the 3-meter line — had been effective and, with Zarkovic in the back-row, it was a viable option for sophomore setter Jennings Franciskovic. They talked about it during the timeout. The set wasn't perfect, and neither was the timing. Zarkovic hesitated, altered his approach, and took more of a flat-footed shot that Penn State couldn't handle, tying it at 24. The Warriors scored the next two points, taking the set and riding the momentum en route to sweeping the Nittany Lions. "I think that shows how he has matured. He's not bothered if things aren't exactly right," Franciskovic said. "He's a big part of our success this season mainly because he's been so consistent. When things go bad, Siki is still calm. I trust he can get us out of bad situations and we've worked a lot on the off-balls. "He is so smart, on and off the court. He has that knowledge and the skill. He can tool the block, which is a hard skill to master. He's smart enough to know when to use it and knows where to place the ball. "He's so good at a lot of things, which is really annoying. But volleyball is definitely his thing." Zarkovic didn't have a choice. He was a gym rat. His father Milan was a top international coach at the junior level, including 10 years as the Serbian Junior National Team head coach. During his tenure, Serbia moved up in the FIVB rankings from No. 28 in 2003 to No. 1 in 2010. With his son on the team, Serbia won gold at the 2009 and 2011 World Youth Championship and a gold at the European Youth Championship. A year after giving Siki his blessing to come to Hawaii, Milan joined Charlie Wade's staff as an assistant last season. He has enjoyed reuniting with his son, watching his growth and that of the Warriors. "The biggest compliment anyone can give is to trust someone else with their child," Milan Zarkovic said. "My decision to come here was my way of giving back to the program that is giving my son so much." Many young adult children would not welcome a parent following them halfway around the world. But Siki said that, after a "healthy break" from his father, he was glad to have him back in the gym. "I played for him for five years but I grew up watching him coach," Zarkovic said. "He's all about volleyball. We used to go home and analyze the games. I still enjoy that part with him. "For me, as much as I love the beach and to body surf — I'm not that great at it — my life is volleyball, school and Dad." Heading into Friday's conference opener against No. 3 UC Santa Barbara, Zarkovic leads No. 9 Hawaii in points (4.98 per set) and kills (4.39 kps) and is tied for second in aces. "Siki's game is pretty complete," Wade said. "Like most coaches' kids, he has a better understanding of the game. "At one point against (UC) Irvine, he was hitting around .900. He ended up at .500 and that was with them sending the whole building to block him. He's played at such a high level from a young age and it shows." RAINBOW WARRIOR VOLLEYBALLAt Stan Sheriff Center >> Who: No. 3 UC Santa Barbara (4-0, 0-0 MPSF) vs. No. 9 Hawaii (3-1, 0-0) >> When: 7 p.m.Friday. 5 p.m. Sunday >> TV: OC Sports >> Radio: KKEA
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Jan 17, 2015 14:04:24 GMT -5
Rainbow Warriors end slump against UCSBHawaii drops the third set after taking a 2-0 lead, but fights back to win in fourBy Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 17, 2015 LAST UPDATED: 02:11 a.m. HST, Jan 17, 2015 BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii’s Taylor Averill put down a kill over UC Santa Barbara’s Jake Staahl in the first set Friday night. In a volleyball upset that was four years in the making, ninth-ranked Hawaii outlasted No. 3 UC Santa Barbara in four sets on Friday night. A Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 1,985 saw the Warriors end a seven-match losing streak in this Mountain Pacific Sports Federation series by a score of 25-23, 25-23, 24-26, 27-25. "We talked about it, how a lot of the guys have never beaten Santa Barbara," UH setter Jennings Franciskovic said. "It's been a long time. I'm getting chills right now. It feels really great." It was the MPSF opener for both teams. Opposite Brook Sedore led the Warriors with a season-high 19 kills and hit .405. "It's a win, but I'm not satisfied with it at all," Sedore said. "We might have lost it. They gave it to us. We didn't win that." Sedore said in the 10-minute intermission between the second and third sets, the Warriors spoke of championship aspirations. "If we want to be a national-championship team, we have to close it out," Sedore said, referring to the third-set collapse. After holding on to win the first two sets, the Warriors built several four-point leads in the third, the last at 23-19. But the Gauchos, who run a fast and diverse offense, chipped away with system-disrupting serves and an all-points attack. They scored six of the final seven points of the third set. "That third set was a bummer," UH middle Taylor Averill said. In the fourth set, the Gauchos surged to leads of 14-11 and 19-16. But the Warriors, relying on Sedore's powerful swing from the front and back right, and an active defense, forced ties at 23, 24 and 25. UH middle Davis Holt then hit a cutting shot to put the Warriors ahead 26-25. On the next play, initiated by Holt's serve, left-side hitter Kupono Fey hit a line shot that tipped off a blocker for aloha point. "Four deuce sets against the No. 3 team," UH coach Charlie Wade marveled after the match. The Gauchos "are really good. They had a nice little lead in the fourth, and we battled back and won. That's what I really liked. That really shows the guys are dialed in. If you can do that against a team of that caliber, it bodes well for us." With setter Jonah Seif at the controls, the Gauchos had multiple hitting options. Opposite Kevin Donahue had 16 kills, with eight launched behind the 3-meter line. Left-side hitters Jacob Delson (16 kills) and Weston Nielsen (13) feasted on quick sets to the pins or to the pipe. At 6 feet 8, Seif also was an offensive threat on second-touch swings . "Their setter is really great," Averill said. "They run a great offense. They run a very fast outside attack. As a middle, it keeps you guessing." In the past week's practices, the B team ran bic plays and quick-outside plays to give the first rotation a preview of the Gauchos' rat-a-tat attack. "I felt we could have blocked more, especially for me," Averill said. "There were a few that squeaked by I could have grabbed." Averill finished with 15 kills and contributed to seven of the Warriors' 15 blocks. Siki Zarkovic added 14 kills, and Fey hit .385. The teams meet Sunday, with first serve at 5 p.m. RAINBOW WARRIOR VOLLEYBALLat stan sheriff center >> Who: No. 3 UC Santa Barbara (4-1, 0-1 MPSF) vs. No. 9 Hawaii (4-1, 1-0) >> When: 5 p.m. Sunday >> TV: None Full Photo Gallery here. Photos by BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Jan 18, 2015 14:15:58 GMT -5
Franciskovic does it allBy Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 18, 2015 BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii’s Jennings Franciskovic set Taylor Averill in a win over UC Santa Barbara on Friday.On a volleyball TeraFlex, Hawaii setter Jennings Franciskovic is not a teen idle. He sets, serves, blocks, digs and, on occasion, swings. “He got a lot better,” UH coach Charlie Wade said. “He matured a lot. He’s evolved as the (Rainbow Warriors’) best setter. He works hard, he’s bright, and I think he’s going to get better at everything.” Most of all, Franciskovic has emerged as a leader. At 19, he has earned respect from older, more experienced teammates. Franciskovic was at the controls when the ninth-ranked Warriors upset No. 3 UC Santa Barbara on Friday night. The rematch is at 5 p.m. Sunday in the Stan Sheriff Center. The match will not be televised. “We have to come out with a lot of energy, but we have to remember what it felt like last year when we were losing at Santa Barbara,” said Franciskovic, referring to UH’s seven-match losing streak in this series. “We need to hate losing, and know that feeling and use it as a driving force.” Wade said the other Warriors respond well to the sophomore setter. “Trust is a big thing,” Franciskovic said. “They trust I’m going to put them in a better situation.” For most of a match, Wade implores a specific strategy. During a tense stretch in Friday’s match, Wade loosened his grip. Instead of ordering a sequence, Wade backed off, allowing Franciskovic some input within the scheme’s frame. Wade said that was helpful when the Warriors were in “semi-system,” that part of the play when things do not go exactly as planned. “The trouble with coaches telling the setter what to do every time, things change,” Wade said. “Even with a good pass, you can get in semi-system. You have to give him the freedom to know what to do.” Franciskovic is developing into an active blocker. He averages 0.76 blocks per set, the most by a UH full-time setter since Brian Beckwith’s 1.21 in 2007. “I think it has to do with my vertical,” said Franciskovic, who has a 41 1⁄2 -inch jump off a three-step approach. He was 5 feet 9 as a high school freshman when he ht a growth spurt. He was 6-3 as a junior. He now is 6-4 without shoes. “It was my junior and senior years when I started noticing I was jumping high and getting above people and making plays,” he said. Wade said Franciskovic, who often is paired with All-America middle Taylor Averill in the front row, is a “work in progress” as a blocker. But Wade added: “He has the potential to be a shut-down blocker.”
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Jan 19, 2015 15:00:22 GMT -5
Siki, Warriors destroy UC Santa BarbaraBy Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 19, 2015 BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii's Siki Zarkovic and Taylor Averill battled UC Santa Barbara's Jonah Seif and Jake Staahl at the net in the fourth set of the Rainbow Warriors' win on Sunday.Hawaii erased a year-old IOU with a statement-making 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-19 volleyball victory over No. 3 UC Santa Barbara on Sunday night. A Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 2,078 witnessed the Rainbow Warriors sweep the two-match series to improve to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The Gauchos fell to 4-2 and 0-2. "It's so crazy," libero Kolby Kanetake said of the Warriors' first series sweep of the Gauchos since 2003. "All we could think about coming into this weekend was revenge. They swept us at their place (in January 2014), and that should not have happened. We've been waiting a year for this. We came out with an attitude, that mentality, we're going to get revenge on them." For the Warriors, the emphasis was on defense during Saturday's 90-minute practice. In Friday's match, left-side hitter Siki Zarkovic managed two digs in four sets. "We challenged them (on Saturday), especially Siki," UH coach Charlie Wade said. "Challenge accepted," said Zarkovic, who had 15 digs in Sunday's rematch. "I was more focused on defense," Zarkovic added. "I wasn't as much focused in the previous match. It's all about focus and how willing you are to play defense and the movements." Zarkovic and outside hitter Kupono Fey, who had 11 digs, parlayed the Gauchos' best shots into workable passes to setter Jennings Franciskovic. Franciskovic had a full menu of options. Taylor Averill was his usual accurate threat, slamming 10 kills and hitting .562. But it was the second middle, the underrated Davis Holt, who also put down 10 kills, and contributed to five of the Warriors' nine blocks. More importantly, Averill and Holt consistently got fingerprints on the Gauchos' spikes, aiding the back-row defense. "Once we got a good block up, all we had to do was fill the seams," Fey said. The Gauchos run one of the fastest and most diverse offenses. Jonah Seif, a 6-foot-8 setter, is skilled at feeding quick sets to the pins and behind the 3-meter line. But the Gauchos, who hit .311 on Friday night, had difficulty finding the floor. They hit .269 on Sunday, including .207 in the fourth set. Zarkovic, who played middle back for three rotations was the leading cause of the Gauchos' frustrations. "It's all about aggressiveness, how bad you want the ball," Zarkovic said. "If you want the ball, the ball comes to you." Wade said: "When Siki plays middle-back defense like that, it gets the whole thing going. It fires everybody else up." Zarkovic also was an offensive force, producing a a team-high 17 kills on a variety of shots. He scored on a left-handed push, three roll shots, and cutting spikes from the left side that squeezed inside the right sideline. His secret? "I eat my vegetables," Zarkovic said, smiling. "I use everything I have. I didn't always crush it. I tried to hit high hands and get something off the block. They're a good blocking team. I tried to use that to my advantage." Fey, who usually hits exclusively from the pins, had five kills on pipe sets. "We ran that a lot," said Fey, who had a career-high 14 kills. "Coach wanted us to be a little more unpredictable." Wade said what should be consistent is the Warriors' aggressive defense. "That tough-minded defense travels well," Wade said. "That you can take on the road. That kind of stuff, that's going to be who we are — our gym, anybody's gym. That's something the guys have been talking a lot about. It's nice to see them come out and do it." Full Photo Gallery here. Photos by BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Jan 21, 2015 7:50:30 GMT -5
UH's Averill named player of the weekBy Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 08:54 a.m. HST, Jan 20, 2015 LAST UPDATED: 11:24 a.m. HST, Jan 20, 2015 BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii's Taylor Averill hits off UC Santa Barbara's Ryan Hardy in the second set of the UC Santa Barbara vs. Hawaii volleyball match at Stan Sheriff Center.A day after winning a conference award, University of Hawaii volleyball player Taylor Averill claimed a national honor. Averill, a 6-foot-7 middle blocker from San Jose, Calif., was named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division I-II player of the week for men's volleyball. Averill was instrumental in the Warriors' two four-set victories over UC Santa Barbara the past weekend. The outcomes ended the Warriors' seven-match losing streak to the Gauchos, and produced UH's first series sweep between the teams since 2003. On Friday, Averill had 15 kills and seven blocks. In Sunday's rematch he hit .562. The seventh-ranked Warriors have a bye this weekend.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Jan 21, 2015 7:50:58 GMT -5
Averill is national player of the week
By Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-Advertiser
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 21, 2015
A generation ago, a 6-foot-7 volleyball player might have been the tallest on the court.
"In the middle," Hawaii's Taylor Averill said, "one can say I'm undersized."
But on Tuesday, Averill was a towering figure, being named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division I-II player of the week for men's volleyball.
"This was a team award," said Averill, who credited Jennings Franciskovic's setting, the overall team passing and serving, middle Davis Holt, and pin hitters Brook Sedore, Siki Zarkovic and Kupono Fey. "I'm nothing without good passing and serving, and great teammates."
Averill was instrumental in two four-set victories over UC Santa Barbara, which entered the series with a seven-match winning streak against the Warriors. But Averill had 15 kills and seven blocks on Friday, and then hit .562 in Sunday's rematch.
"Truthfully, I was disappointed in my blocking," Averill said. "I felt I could have done a lot more. … It's great to see a lot of improvement needed and to still get an award like that."
UH coach Charlie Wade said: "Taylor's story continues to be a great one as inspiration for a lot of people. He's had to bounce back from a lot of tough things that have come up through his college career."
Averill has had arm and knee issues. He played the second half of his freshman season in 2012 with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
Athletic-performance trainer Daniel Mar Chong has worked on Averill's quickness and fitness.
"It was a matter of getting him healthy, and making that the base," said Mar Chong, who implemented a program of high-speed lifts and volleyball-related exercises.
"Every success I've had I owe to him in some way," Averill said of Mar Chong.
Wade said Averill is a unique middle who is experienced as a setter and opposite attacker. Averill sometimes remains in a back-row rotation to blast away from behind the 3-meter line.
"He's such a volley guy," Wade said. "He's played multiple positions. He was a gym rat in high school. More so than any typical middle blocker, he has a wide skill set. He can do a lot of things — pass and set and play defense and hit high balls."
Wade also praised Averill's off-court focus.
"I've made my mistakes too early and was forced to mature faster than most," Averill said. "I have big aspirations. I want to make the Olympic team one day. I want to play overseas. That becomes more of a reality as my college career comes to a close. This is the time to get most serious."
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Jan 27, 2015 14:20:51 GMT -5
UH improved since UC Irvine spanking
By Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 27, 2015 LAST UPDATED: 07:05 a.m. HST, Jan 27, 2015 BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii's Brook Sedore and Davis Holt get a block on UC Irvine's Kyle Russell in the third set of the UC Irvine vs. Hawaii volleyball match at Stan Sheriff Center.Two weeks ago, the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team learned that being good is not always good enough. UC Irvine swept the Warriors, who hit .354, including .440 in the opening set. "We kind of got smacked in the teeth on our home court," UH opposite attacker Brook Sedore said of the final match of the Outrigger Invitational. On Monday afternoon, the sixth-ranked Warriors departed for California, where they will play UC Irvine in matches on Wednesday and Friday. "Redemption time," libero Garrett Komisarek said. "We have to go out there and redeem ourselves from that last match." Middle blocker Davis Holt said: "We want payback from that. That was kind of embarrassing to lose like that in front of our fans. We want to win." In that match, the Anteaters served tough, passed well and hit .526. "I certainly hope for a different outcome," Wade said. "Irvine played really well. If they play like that, they'll win a lot." The Warriors rebounded to earn two four-set victories over then-No. 3 UC Santa Barbara. In the second match, five Warriors had double-digit kills, including Holt, the second middle who entered the series as an after-thought attacker. "Now we figured it out," Davis said of his connection with setter Jennings Franciskovic. Franciskovic added: "I think we've grown as a team a little bit, especially the connection with me and my hitters." The Warriors had animated practices last week, with the B team running quick offenses to simulate Irvine's pace. The Warriors had a bye this past weekend. "We're prepared," Sedore said of the rematch against Irvine. Two weeks ago "I don't think we were prepared to play anybody that good at that point. It was a good wake-up call. It couldn't have come at a better time. It was our last (pre-conference) match, and we got licked, and now we're ready." UC Irvine and UH are members of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, but that Outrigger match did not count toward the league standings. "We're playing with a lot more intensity," Davis said. "We're ready to rock and roll."
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Jan 29, 2015 14:42:18 GMT -5
UC Irvine sweeps UH again
By Star-Advertiser staff
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 29, 2015
The sixth-ranked University of Hawaii volleyball team went off script, then off its game in Wednesday night's 25-16, 25-22, 25-21 road loss to No. 3 UC Irvine in the Bren Center.
The Warriors, who were swept in a meeting between the teams two weeks ago, had hoped for better results in this rematch between Mountain Pacific Sports Federation programs.
"From the beginning of the match, we didn't quite do what we intended to do in terms of the scouting report," UH coach Charlie Wade said. "We didn't follow it."
UH's receiving was spotty, the setting inconsistent and the hitting predictable. The Warriors (5-2, 2-1) hit .084, their worst of the season.
The Warriors gave away 34 points on errors — 19 on attacks, 10 on serves, four on Anteater aces, and one on a block attempt. Of the Anteaters' 75 points, 45 percent came on UH mistakes.
Wade said setter Jennings Franciskovic, a sophomore starting his first college road match, struggled in the "semi-system," the gray area when offense is not quite in rhythm.
"In Jennings' defense, our serve-receive was not crisp," Wade said. "That's one of the things (Franciskovic) has to learn. He's been good on the nights when we received serve consistently well and can run the offense. … The offense never really got going. Some of that is on Jennings. He was tight and tentative with his setting and became very predictable. And some (of the problems) were on the hitters."
Wade noted the Warriors too often hit roll shots into the middle or swung away into well-formed blocks.
Alex Jones made a cameo at setter to provide stability. But Wade reiterated: "There's no quarterback controversy in that regard. Jennings is still the starter. We're going to help him learn how to become a better setter."
Wade also is willing to be patient with Kupono Fey, a primary passer and second outside hitter. Fey, a sophomore, had one kill against four errors — he was blocked three times — and hit minus-.429.
"I was trying to be a little more patient with young players on a young season," Wade said. "We'll get another shot."
The rematch is Friday in the Bren Center.
The Anteaters (9-2, 4-1) launched thunderous serves, then set up an active block. They had 11.5 blocks, including seven block assists by Andrew Benz.
"They can put some service pressure on you," Wade said.
The scored was tied at 20 in the second set before UCI's Tamir Hershko slammed consecutive kills.
In the third set, the Anteaters closed with a 7-1 run to surge from a 20-18 deficit.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Jan 31, 2015 13:05:45 GMT -5
Hawaii steps up to beat UC Irvine
By Staff and News Reports
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 31, 2015
In a freaky-Friday reversal, the Hawaii volleyball team made all the right moves for a 25-22, 25-19, 24-26, 26-24 road upset of No. 4 UC Irvine in the Bren Center.
The Rainbow Warriors had lost 11 matches in a row in this series, including Wednesday night's sweep in Irvine. But the Warriors overcame two key injuries and the Anteaters' best shots to improve to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
The Anteaters fell to 9-3 and 4-2.
"It's a tough place to win," UH coach Charlie Wade said. "It's a win on the road. It's our third league win. We're happy with that."
Wade said Thursday's practice "was dragging" until the final segment, a "one-set showdown" between the starters and B team.
"We challenged the guys," Wade said. "The A side responded."
The Warriors would be without their tallest player — 6-9 middle Davis Holt — for Friday's rematch. Holt was suffering from an ankle injury. During pre-match warmups, it was learned outside hitter Siki Zarkovic also was suffering from an ankle injury. Zarkovic pleaded to play, insisting he could dig, pass and tool the block with his Asics planted to the court.
Wade considered going with Hendrik Mol before relenting, and offering this deal to Zarkovic: Lead, communicate and "don't let (the Anteaters) know you're hurt at all."
Zarkovic responded with 10 kills and a steadying presence.
"He gutted it up, and got some big points for us," Wade said.
Opposite Brook Sedore pounded a team-high 18 kills.
Middle blocker Taylor Averill had 14 kills, hit .522, and assisted on five blocks.
Kupono Fey had six kills, but served 13 points, including aloha ball, and dug Kyle Russell's free-ball slam.
Setter Jennings Franciskovic, who struggled with his placements on Wednesday, was on the mark. The Warriors hit .310, including .406 in the second and fourth sets.
Wade said 5-foot-8 libero Kolby Kanetake was "a big difference," producing 15 digs.
UCI's Zack La Cavera had 15 kills, but 27 other swings landed long or were dug, and he hit .190.
"A lot of that was because of Kolby's digs," Wade said. "He had a bunch of good digs."
Mol did not start, but he came in as the serving specialist. In the second set, three of his serves produced points, including an ace.
"He got us three in a row, and that gave us separation," Wade said.
Zach Radner, who made his first career start, was a serviceable replacement for Holt. He contributed five kills and two blocks.
"There were a lot of good individual performances," Wade said. "The guys were determined. It was a good match for us."
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Feb 4, 2015 20:25:23 GMT -5
Home court worth points for Warriors
By Stephen Tsai, Star-Advertiser
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Feb 04, 2015
USC volleyball coach Bill Ferguson crunched the numbers and, according to his calculations, Hawaii is "three points better per set at home."
"Who wouldn't be with that crowd?" said Ferguson, whose No. 2 Trojans play the sixth-ranked Warriors at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday in the Stan Sheriff Center.
Told of the boost from the crowd, UH coach Charlie Wade said, smiling: "I'm OK with that. If he's willing to put that on the scoreboard, sure, we'll take that. That's nice of him. If he wants to give us three points a set, we'll take that, for sure."
Both teams appear to be constructed from similar fiber, relying mightily on the serve/pass phase. Neither has a guaranteed-point attacker. UH's leader is All-America middle Taylor Averill.
"If Hawaii is in system, its ability to set Taylor is going to make three rotations brutal and really force us to play good defense and block really well," Ferguson said.
Wade countered: "Their setter has a little more experience than ours."
USC's Micah Christenson, a Kamehameha Schools graduate, was the U.S. national team's starting setter the past summer.
"He's the best setter in the world right now," said UH outside hitter Kupono Fey, Christenson's cousin.
Wade said: "We don't have a guy like that, a world-class player. We've got some really good players. Our strength is definitely the unit."
The Warriors also will need to rely on their depth. Left-side hitter Siki Zarkovic has a sprained left ankle and is iffy for Wednesday's match. Hendrik Mol, who served well in last Friday's match against UC Irvine, and co-captain Scott Hartley are the likely replacements if Zarkovic is unavailable. Fey will remain at outside-2, a primary passing position.
Mol honed his multiple skills playing "beach" volleyball in his native Norway. Last summer, he finished second in the under-23 world championships.
"Norway has a culture for beach volleyball," Mol said. "There are (sand) courts everywhere."
Hartley has fluctuated between being a serving specialist and situation blocker this season.
"I'm practicing as if I could be the guy," Hartley said. "It doesn't matter either way. I'm happy for Hendrik. I'm happy for myself. Either of us can step in and play just as well."
Ferguson said Fey, usually a fourth offensive option, is regarded as the Warriors' unheralded threat.
"We have to pay attention to Kupono Fey," Ferguson said.
Fey has provided a spark on his swings from the left pin and behind the service line. But his best asset is passing.
"That's my role on the team," said Fey, who often practices passing volleyballs spit from JUGS machines at 70 mph.
Wade said Fey "has been great. I'm impressed with who he is as a person and how he works and what a good dude he is."
MPSF VOLLEYBALL
» Who: No. 2 USC (7-0, 6-0 MPSF) vs. Hawaii (6-2, 3-1 MPSF)
» When/where: 7 p.m. Wednesday and Friday in the Stan Sheriff Center
» TV: OC Sports
» Radio: KKEA
» Streaming video: ocsports.tv
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Feb 5, 2015 16:32:13 GMT -5
Rainbow Warrior volleyball outlast No. 2 USC in 5By Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Feb 05, 2015 LAST UPDATED: 01:38 a.m. HST, Feb 05, 2015 DARRYL OUMI / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER Hawaii middle blocker Zach Radner took a big swing on a kill attempt in the Rainbow Warriors’ win over USC. The University of Hawaii volleyball team went from the abyss to bliss with an astonishing 26-28, 23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 20-18 upset of second-ranked USC. A crowd of the more than 2,000 watched the under-manned Warriors surge from a two-set deficit to fight off match point twice in the fifth set and hand the Trojans their first loss of the season. "The guys hung in there," UH coach Charlie Wade said. "They knew it was going to be a tough match." The Warriors were without one of their best defenders, outside hitter Siki Zarkovic, whose sprained left ankle was in a walking boot on Wednesday night. Middle blocker Davis Holt, their tallest player, did not start despite being medically cleared to play after recovering from a sprained ankle. "They knew it was going to be ‘the next man up,'" Wade said. "And they worked together against a great team and great coaches. We got our fourth league win, and that was significant." The Warriors rallied behind All-America middle Taylor Averill, who had 17 kills against one error and rejected USC's Robert Feathers at aloha ball. They also received a boost from opposite attacker Brook Sedore, who pounded a career-high 22 kills and hit .390. "We had a couple of injuries, and Jennings (Francisckovich) said he would set me more," said Sedore, who took an arm-numbing 41 swings. "He told me to be ready to go." Kupono Fey, UH's second outside hitter and fourth offensive option, contributed 10 kills. He also passed 24 serves without an error. The Trojans seized control in the first two sets thanks to Micah Christenson, regarded as the country's best setter. Christenson, who complements his game with a sizzling serve, was able to spread the offense. Outside hitter Christopher Orenic had 24 kills and opposite Josh Kirchner, a converted middle, pounded 19. The Trojans were so effective that left-side hitter Alex Slaught was pulled as a starter despite hitting .300. Wade acknowledged the Warriors were not at their best defensively early. They entered averaging about nine digs per set. In the first two sets, they had nine digs, including one in the opening set. In the locker room during the intermission between the second and third sets, Sedore reminded his teammates that there was an aggregate four-point difference. "We were calm," Sedore said. "We weren't upset at all." Holt entered in the third set, providing an imposing block. He had three blocks in the third set. "Once we were able to get our defense going a little bit, things changed," Wade said. "We really take it personally to defend our home court." In the fifth set, the Trojans were serving for match point at 16-15 and 17-16. But Punahou graduate Larry Tuileta's serve struck the net, tying it at 17. Sedore's spike off a D set struck the net and fell to the court to make it 18-17. After Orenic tied it at 18, Averill's 17th kill gave UH match point. Christenson back-set Feathers in transition. Averill, recalling the tactic from scouting reports, smothered Feather's swing, triggering a wild celebration. "I have to give that last play to the coaching staff," Averill said. "I was following what we were told to do. That was a great team with a great setter. They played really well. We matched it tonight." Full Photo Gallery here. Photos by DARRYL OUMI / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Feb 6, 2015 14:00:00 GMT -5
Hartley plays big role in big match
By Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-Advertiser
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Feb 06, 2015
It took 1,628 days and a mid-career makeover for University of Hawaii volleyball player Scott Hartley to become an overnight sensation.
Hartley was instrumental in the Warriors' five-set upset of second-ranked USC on Wednesday night. The Warriors lost their first two sets when Hartley entered as a replacement for outside hitter Hendrik Mol, who had started in place of injured Siki Zarkovic.
Hartley was productive from the left pin and the pipe (seven kills on .308 hitting), at the net (three blocks), and on defense (six digs, 20 serve receptions without an error). He is expected to start in tonight's rematch in the Stan Sheriff Center.
"He's been here five years, and he's worked hard, and that was his chance to play a significant role in a meaningful match," UH coach Charlie Wade said.
Hartley, who is 6 feet 4, weighed 170 when he first enrolled at UH in August 2010. He admittedly had fun his first two years — too much, apparently. While redshirting as a junior in 2013, Hartley recalled, "I decided what's important to me is not my social life but my self and my body and this team."
He crafted a program in which he weight-trains with teammates three times a week, and works on his core and lower body two other days. He now weighs 190.
In practices, Wade said, Hartley sometimes is "the best player in the building." But inconsistency limited his opportunities — until Wednesday night.
"I haven't been able to prove myself too many times, but it's nice to get an opportunity like that, and show what I'm worth," Hartley said.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Feb 7, 2015 18:03:34 GMT -5
Trojans volleyball outlast 'Bows volleyballBy Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Feb 07, 2015 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii’s Davis Holt put a kill past USC’s Robert Feathers during the first set on Friday.In a marathon volleyball match, it was a late surge that boosted USC to a 30-28, 17-25, 18-25, 25-18, 20-18 victory over Hawaii. A crowd of 3,517 — the largest to watch a men's volleyball in the Stan Sheriff Center this year — was left in stunned disappointment when Alex Slaught powered a kill off the Rainbow Warriors' Scott Hartley for match point. "They're a good team," said UH opposite Brook Sedore, who pounded a match-high 20 kills and hit .357. "There's a reason they're No. 2." It was the second five-set outcome in this two-match series, and the Warriors were poised for a hana hou of Wednesday night's upset. After dropping the first set, the Warriors dominated the next two. They were on such a roll that middle blocker Taylor Averill slammed two pipe sets, Jennings Franciskovic was outplaying U.S. national team setter Micah Christenson, and UH libero Kolby Kanetake had a flat-footed kill on a free-ball swing from behind the 3-meter line. But the Trojans controlled the fourth set. In the fifth, the Warriors raced to leads of 6-3, 10-6 and, following Sedore's second-consecutive kill of a D set, 13-10. "We were down 7-2 against Irvine a couple of weeks ago," USC coach Bill Ferguson recalled thinking. "We have a mantra where we go, ‘moment by moment,' and ‘point by point.' " As a point of emphasis, Ferguson raises his right index finger after every point. "That shows we're focusing on the next point," Ferguson said. "Our guys stick with it. They always believe." The Trojans scored the next four points, with Christian Rivera tying it on a line shot, and taking a 14-13 lead when UH middle Davis Holt's spike did not clear the net. The match would be tied five more times, the last at 18. Hartley then soared from behind the 3-meter line and rocketed a shot that landed long, setting up yet another match point for the Trojans. Slaught, who was aced twice early in the match, offered the parting shot on a bic swing that Hartley could not handle. Hartley was despondent after the match, saying, "All I want to say is when it came down to making a play, I had the opportunity to finish a game, and I chose not to be aggressive, and that's not the way to win a game. When you want to win a game, you have to hit your serve hard, you have to get the right block. There's no room for tips, no room for passive play." Despite the self-criticism, Hartley had a strong performance, amassing a career-high five kills, sizzling three aces and contributing to back-to-back blocks in the fifth set. But the Trojans' serves forced the Warriors out of rhythm at key times. One of the results was UH All-America middle Taylor Averill was rarely set in the final two sets. "We didn't pass the ball enough to set Sunny," Hartley said of Averill. "Sunny will help us win a game, and we didn't pass him enough." Of UH's short week, UH coach Charlie Wade said: "It looked like we didn't have much practice, and we didn't. Overall, our (serve-) reception skills were not sharp. We let the platform lead. That's a practice-gym issue. We'll figure it out." Averill finished with 12 kills. Christopher Orenic led the Trojans with 17 kills. USC tried several combinations, summoning Punahou graduate Larry Tuileta and Rivera as pin hitters. But in the fifth set, the Trojans opted not to replace middle Andy Benesh as a server. The usual strategy is to use a better back-row defender as a server. But Ferguson said he believed Benesh's float serves would put more pressure on the Warriors. "He's really good at placing the ball," Ferguson said. Ferguson was the server when the Trojans moved from a 13-11 deficit to a 14-13 lead in the fifth set. Setter Micah Christenson guided the Trojans to hit .480 in the fifth after they were below .200 through the first four sets. "This is a phenomenal group," Ferguson said. "They're mentally tough. They're a fun group to work with." Christenson had five aces and 17 digs. 3 USC 2 HAWAIIKEY: USC rallies from a 13-10 deficit in the fifth set NEXT: UH at Cal Baptist, 5 p.m. Wednesday Full Photo Gallery here. Photos by JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
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