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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 5, 2015 13:40:10 GMT -5
Zarkovic strengthens his mental approachBy Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 05, 2015 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM Siki Zarkovic is effective all over the court. In last week’s first match against Long Beach State he successfully received 43 of 45 serves and had nine digs.University of Hawaii setter Jennings Franciskovic is a volleyball mixologist who can accommodate any request. Even with all the options, outside hitter Siki Zarkovic usually orders "the usual." Despite not being fully healed from a high-ankle sprain, Zarkovic requested high-placed sets in last weekend's road matches against Long Beach State. "Honestly, he told me to set him the way I usually would," Franciskovic said. "He's going to find ways to get kills. He's so smart about it." Zarkovic is expected to be a key figure in matches between the sixth-ranked Warriors and No. 5 Pepperdine Friday night and Sunday afternoon at the Stan Sheriff Center. Zarkovic had missed five matches before coming off the sideline to amass 10 kills against Cal State Northridge two weeks ago. He had nine and six kills, respectively, in the sweep of Long Beach State — pedestrian numbers that bely his value as a passer, blocker and middle-back defender. In the first match against LBSU, he received 43 serves and conjured nine digs. "He's a very good player," UH coach Charlie Wade said. Zarkovic is admittedly frustrated that he is not fully healthy. "I'm still in the recovery process," Zarkovic said. "I have to play as best as I can at this point. I'm not playing as good as I want to because my strength is not fully back yet. I have to use everything I can even more because I'm not physically able to compete at the level I want to." Even without that burst — he serves and launches spikes off a two-step approach — Zarkovic still draws a wall of blockers. "Whether he's going to go up and tool the block or see an open spot and hit it, that's what makes Siki such a great player," Franciskovic said. "It doesn't matter if he's going to be explosive or not. He's going to find a way to put the ball down." Zarkovic, a junior, has changed his on-court demeanor. "I was so emotional," said Zarkovic, who often criticized himself in Serbian after a failed play in past seasons. "I wanted to win every game. I think sometimes it negatively affected the team." During the offseason, Zarkovic met with Chris McLachlin, who volunteers as a motivational and visualization instructor. "Chris gave me tips that were really valuable," Zarkovic said. Zarkovic then reflected on former teammates Jace Olsen and Aniefre Etim-Thomas. "They were good examples of how one should behave," Zarkovic said. "I tried not to imitate. I wanted my own style on how to approach the game. But they definitely helped me mature." Zarkovic said he has learned to not cling to mistakes. "The way I grew up, I was taught to be competitive and never give up any points," Zarkovic said. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still competitive. I've learned to control myself and adjust to being more mature and focused." Zarkovic also has adjusted to American life. Raised in Europe, he can speak Serbian, Greek and English. He is taking Spanish lessons. Now, Zarkovic said, "sometimes I dream in English. … It's definitely something new." RAINBOW WARRIOR VOLLEYBALLAt Stan Sheriff Center >> Who: No. 5 Pepperdine (13-2, 9-2 MPSF) vs. No. 6 Hawaii (13-3, 10-2) >> When: 7 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m Sunday >> TV: OC Sports (Friday) >> Radio: KKEA (Friday), KHKA (Sunday) >> Series: Pepperdine leads 42-28
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 6, 2015 14:15:23 GMT -5
Waves keep it simple -- serve-receive, hit like crazy
By Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-Advertiser
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 06, 2015
For a volleyball coaching career spanning 32 years, Pepperdine's Marv Dunphy does not have a lot of baggage.
The rolling duffle bag and a time-tested strategy were all 67-year-old Dunphy needed for Friday night's match against Hawaii in the Stan Sheriff Center.
The Waves have two prolific pin hitters — opposite Parker Kaimbach, who leads the league with 4.02 kills per set, and outside hitter Josh Taylor (3.60) — a disruptive server (Matt Tarantino, averaging 0.65 aces per set), and accurate passers. The Waves' serve-reception accuracy is 94.6 percent.
"If you can't serve and receive with the big boys, you can't play with them," Dunphy said. "I think we've been, maybe, OK to good."
The serve/pass phase will be key in this 71st meeting between Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opponents. UH is tied for second with a 10-2 MPSF record. Pepperdine is 9-2.
"Enjoyment," Dunphy said of the series. "Win or lose, it seems the teams are pretty good. Certainly, that's the case with UH this year. And we're pretty good."
Taylor, the older brother of Rainbow Wahine Nikki Taylor, and Kaimbach have taken 52 percent of the Waves' swings.
"Probably more than their fair share," Dunphy said of the 6-foot-7 pin hitters. "But they're big boys."
Dunphy said he is concerned about the Warriors' tough serving, active defense and middle blocker Taylor Averill.
Averill, who is hitting .466 and averaging 1.41 blocks per set, is the rare middle who can play four rotation turns. UH coach Charlie Wade said Averill is comparable to "no one."
"We've never seen a middle like that who has the ability to play a complete game like that," Wade added.
As a former setter and opposite, Averill is valuable on trouble plays and defense. Since the middle of last season, Averill received Wade's blessing to smack bic sets from behind the 3-meter line.
"I told him if he digs the ball, I'm going to give him the bic set," setter Jennings Franciskovic said. "That's the tradeoff."
Wade said taking off from behind the 3-meter line gives Averill a better view of the defensive obstacles. What's more, Wade said, "he can take a full approach. He can launch. If you do that in the front row, you can end up clothes-lining yourself."
Opposite Brook Sedore, who leads the Warriors with 3.63 kills per set, missed Tuesday's practice because of flu-like symptoms. He practiced the past two days and is expected to start on Friday.
Ryan Leung, a fifth-year senior, is Sedore's immediate backup.
RAINBOW WARRIOR VOLLEYBALL At Stan Sheriff Center >> Who: No. 5 Pepperdine (13-2, 9-2 MPSF) vs. No. 6 Hawaii (13-3, 10-2) >> When: 7 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m Sunday >> TV: OC Sports (Friday) >> Radio: KKEA (Friday), KHKA (Sunday) >> Series: Pepperdine leads 42-28
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 7, 2015 14:44:03 GMT -5
Hawaii powers past PepperdineBy Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 07, 2015 BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM Brook Sedore watched the ball fall on the Pepperdine side of the net during the second set of Friday’s win over Pepperdine. The University of Hawaii volleyball team found the remedy on Friday night: Starve Pepperdine, feed outside hitter Scott Hartley. Coming off the sideline late in the second set, Hartley finished with 14 kills and hit .476 to power the sixth-ranked Rainbow Warriors to a 28-26, 22-25, 25-22, 25-18 victory over No. 5 Pepperdine before 3,469 in the Stan Sheriff Center. Coupled with Stanford's upset of Brigham Young, the Warriors gained sole possession of second place in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The Warriors are 14-3 overall and 11-2 in the MPSF. Pepperdine fell to 13-3 and 9-3. The rematch is Sunday at 5 p.m. It will not be televised. "It's unreal," said Hartley, who replaced second outside hitter Kupono Fey. This week, several Warriors, including Hartley and opposite Brook Sedore, suffered from flu-like symptoms. "I got a lot of rest this week because I was sick," said Hartley, a fifth-year senior and co-captain. "Maybe that helped me. I was sleeping a lot. I missed one day of practice." But in practices Wednesday and Thursday, Hartley said, "I felt great. I think the confidence came out." The Warriors rallied to win the opening set. The final point came when 6-foot-9 middle blocker Davis Holt, who served after UH exhausted its substitutions, came up with a dig. Siki Zarkovic slammed set point. But the Warriors struggled in the second set, giving away 14 points on errors, including eight on serves. "That was definitely on all of us," setter Jennings Franciskovic said. "We know we can beat them." Fey has been an active defender and accurate passer this season. But in the first two sets, he did not have a dig. Late in the second set, coach Charlie Wade turned to Hartley. "Scotty's worked hard," Wade said. It usually takes a few swings for Hartley to find his rhythm. With the Waves sliding two blockers in front of middle Taylor Averill and with Sedore not his usual feisty self, Franciskovic turned to Hartley and Zarkovic. On feeding Hartley, Franciskovic said: "You find the hot guy and give him the ball and ride him all the way." Hartley is at his best hitting line from the left pin. With the Waves constructing angle blocks, Hartley was able to score off ricochets or down the line. "That was great," Hartley said. "I was crushing line." But in this spy-versus-spy matchup, Hartley figured it was only a matter of time before the Waves would adjust their corner blocks. In the fourth set, Hartley hit three consecutive crossing shots at three different speeds. The first was a roll shot over a double block. A second hit off a block, then tight-roped on the net before falling out of bounds. The third was a blast. "Sometimes balls drop, sometimes they don't," Hartley said. "It was lucky for me tonight."
Full Photo Gallery here. Photos by BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 8, 2015 19:06:25 GMT -5
Warriors have their sights on first place in MPSF
By Stephen Tsai
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 08, 2015
In past volleyball seasons, Hawaii coach Charlie Wade's mood could be measured in emptied energy-drink cans.
This season, Wade is fueled by the Rainbow Warriors' best start in his six-year tenure.
If the Warriors defeat Pepperdine in Sunday afternoon's rematch, they will move into a first-place tie in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The Warriors are 14-3 overall and 11-2 in the MPSF.
"It's certainly more fun," Wade said. "Everything is so much more enjoyable because of the amount of time and effort we put into it. And it's just not me. The players are having fun."
In Friday's four-set victory over Pepperdine, Wade made several key moves. He called for a switch in which middle blocker Zach Radner replaced outside hitter Siki Zarkovic in the front row. On the next play, Radner, playing at the left pin, and middle Davis Holt teamed on a block.
In the middle of the second set, he pulled outside hitter Kupono Fey, a primary passer.
"For me, that was a quick hook, and I'm not usually a quick-hook guy," Wade said.
Scott Hartley, who usually plays the attacking outside position, replaced Fey in the ball-control spot. When Hartley started scoring, he received more sets from Jennings Franciskovic. Hartley had 10 kills in the fourth set, finishing with 14.
"You can't really question any of Coach's decisions," backup setter Alex Jones said. "He looks like a genius out there."
Wade mused: "It's only genius when they work. When you make a move and it doesn't work, it's not so genius."
The Warriors appear content in their roles. After being replaced, Fey said, he cheered for Hartley.
"We're doing a lot of winning now," Jones said. "Winning solves any problem."
Zarkovic said competitive practices have translated to matches. But practices are not as competitive as the brain-storming sessions between Wade and assistant coach Milan Zarkovic.
"We laugh sometimes about the process we go through to write practices," Wade said. "Things aren't thrown, but there can be some yelling. Everyone is really passionate about what we want to do and how we want to get there. We all want to get to the same point. But how we do it and what we want to focus on, sometimes that isn't easy. It's not uncommon to spend more time preparing practice than actually having the practice."
RAINBOW WARRIOR VOLLEYBALL At Stan Sheriff Center
>> Who: No. 5 Pepperdine (13-3, 9-3 MPSF) vs. No. 6 Hawaii (14-3, 11-2) >> When: 5 p.m. Sunday >> TV: None >> Radio: KHKA >> Series: 42-29
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 9, 2015 14:35:54 GMT -5
Hawaii turns it up in win over Pepperdine, continues hot streakBy Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 09, 2015 BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii's Siki Zarkovic had the game-winning kill in the final set against Pepperdine at the Stan Sheriff Center on Sunday.BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii's Davis Holt slammed one over Pepperdine blockers on Sunday.
Happiness was a University of Hawaii volleyball team that battled to exhaustion to defeat decades-long foe Pepperdine in five sets on Sunday night. Happiness was the deafening sound of about 3,000 fans in the Stan Sheriff Center still roaring long after Siki Zarkovic ricocheted aloha ball to complete a 24-26, 25-22, 30-28, 27-29, 15-13 victory, the Warriors' eighth in row. Happiness was outside hitter Scott Hartley's defense, libero Kolby Kanetake's 16 digs, Taylor Averill's IOU payment, and Zarkovic's shake-it-off persistence. By completing a two-match sweep of the Waves, the Warriors moved into a first-place tie with UC Irvine at 12-2 atop the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The Warriors' final eight MPSF matches are against four teams with a combined 21-33 league record. "We still have stuff to get better at," UH coach Charlie Wade said. "At this point, with two losses, I'm not sure what it's going to take to win the whole thing. But we're going to keep trying to get better." For one night, the Warriors found the answers. Through most of the first four sets, Pepperdine opposite Parker Kalmbach gave fits to the Warriors' defense. The Waves were able to quick-set Kalmbach in the back right. The rat-a-tat pace made it difficult to shift a middle for a double block. At the start of the fifth set, Wade turned the rotation, matching Hartley against Kalmbach. Against a D set, a blocker usually has a soccer goalkeeper's mind-set: Play one side or the other. Hartley, as the lone defender, instead had to defend against both the angle and line shots. "You have to go wide on him," Hartley said. Because Hartley can touch 11 feet 6, Wade figured Kalmbach could not hit over the top without Hartley touching the spike. "I tried to take care of him and force him to our diggers," Hartley said. Kalmbach had 20 kills in 42 swings through the first four sets; he had zero kills in three swings in the fifth. In Friday's match between the teams, Averill struggled statistically and emotionally. After the match, he apologized to teammates. "I'm glad he came out and held up his promise," setter Jennings Franciskovic said. Averill slammed a career-high 19 kills, against one error, in 24 swings and hit .750. "We focused on better passing so (Franciskovic) could get (Averill) the ball," Kanetake said. "And he was unstoppable. They were double-committing, and he was hitting over them, around them, through them." Averill said: "Jennings put me in a real nice situation. We kept it real simple, nothing crazy. When he does that, it makes my job ridiculously easy." Zarkovic led the Warriors with 20 kills. He also had seven digs, and passed 39 serves without an error. Most of all, Zarkovic did not become rattled after what appeared to be an ace was ruled a service error, and an apparent touch was called an attack mistake. "I'm so sure, I would bet my life on the touch," Zarkovic said of the no-call that cut the Warriors' deficit to 12-10 in the fifth set. In the past, Zarkovic conceded, "I would get so angry. That was counter-productive. I worked on it every day in practice, getting the negative energy out of me." The Waves tied it at 12, then were down 14-13. After a UH timeout, Kanetake passed to Franciskovic, who had one thought in mind "Siki's been there before," said Franciskovic, who fed Zarkovic at the right pin. "I can count on him to put it down. Siki's volleyball IQ is at a high level. He's used to playing at a high level." Zarkovic tooled the block, triggering a loud celebration. "Charlie always tells me to focus on the next play, the things I can control," Zarkovic said. "I tried to do that." The Warriors are in first place for the first time in Wade's six seasons as UH head coach. "It's a great feeling," Zarkovic said. "We cannot get relaxed We have eight more (MPSF matches) to go. We have to win all those games."
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 9, 2015 16:03:33 GMT -5
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Post by soljah808 on Mar 9, 2015 16:57:00 GMT -5
Hartley is putting up some amazing numbers to help spread out the offense.Wow!
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 9, 2015 17:00:33 GMT -5
Hawaii moves up to No. 4 in men's volleyball pollRainbow Warriors receive 1 first-place voteBy Star-Advertiser staff POSTED: 09:25 a.m. HST, Mar 09, 2015 LAST UPDATED: 11:50 a.m. HST, Mar 09, 2015 BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii's Ryan Leung gets a kill in the fourth set of the Pepperdine vs Hawaii volleyball match at Stan Sheriff Center. The Hawaii men's volleyball team, winning its last eight matches, moved up two spots to No. 4 in the AVCA Coaches Top 15 poll Monday. The Rainbow Warriors (15-3, 12-2) also received one first-place vote for the first time this season. It is the highest ranking for Hawaii since being ranked No. 4 during the 2010 season. The top three spots remained unchanged, led by efending national champion Loyola-Chicago. Lewis stayed at No. 2 and UC Irvine No. 3. The Rainbow Warriors are tied with the Anteaters atop the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standings at 12-2.
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 12, 2015 14:28:37 GMT -5
Hartley's glad he heeded Wade's adviceBy Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 12, 2015 JAMM AQUINO / FEB. 22 Scott Hartley nearly quit the team last year. Now he’s a major contributor for the Warriors. The University of Hawaii volleyball team would not have won two key matches last week to move into a first-place tie atop the toughest conference if head coach Charlie Wade had not been so stubborn. A year ago, outside hitter Scott Hartley was ready to hand in his practice jersey. It was his fourth year in the program, and Hartley struggled for court time with the B side in practices. "I was really frustrated," Hartley said. "I reached my breaking point." But Wade refused the resignation. In an impassioned speech, Wade told Hartley: "I'm not letting you quit. You're going to stay, and you're going to get your degree, and I think at one point, you're going to go into a game and help us win." Hartley, a fifth-year senior, has been a breakout sensation this season. During Siki Zarkovic's five-match injury absence, Hartley became a go-to attacker at outside hitter. After outside hitter Kupono Fey struggled, Hartley filled the ball-control role. Hartley had 10 kills in the decisive fourth set against Pepperdine on Friday night, then hammered a career-high 18 kills in the rematch two days later. "Lo and behold," Wade said, smiling, "he's gone in and helped us win some pretty significant matches. And he's on track to graduate." Hartley said: "I was so lucky. I reached that point, and Charlie totally stepped up and saved me. He put a lot of positive thoughts in my head. He got my head on straight when it wasn't. He got me through the toughest time." Wade always envisioned a rosier future for Hartley. As a La Costa Canyon High junior, Hartley was 6 feet 5, 155 pounds and playing opposite. Wade believed that Hartley's long frame, "whippy" swing and beach-volleyball experience were tools that would translate into a college outside hitter. As a UH freshman, Hartley put in the required work in training and practices. But he was 17 when he first enrolled in August 2010 and, he conceded, "I was acting like a 17-year-old. I still came in and worked hard in the practice gym. Outside of the gym, I was staying up late and having fun and meeting people." That changed during his junior year, when he redshirted because of a leg injury. It was then that he began the routine of doing extra workouts every day, often after two-hour volleyball practices. He changed his diet. He read books instead of playing video games at night. Harley has gained 30 pounds during his UH career, and now weighs 185 "on a skinny day." He can touch 11 feet 6. "Look at him," Wade said. "He used to be skinny gangly thing. He didn't look like he does now." Hartley has honed his skills. His three-quarter-motion swing comes from his background as a baseball pitcher, when his four-seam fastball reached the 90s. "In (practices), he's terminal," said Wade, using the parlance for a loud kill. In baseball, Hartley also threw a curveball, change-up and slider/cutter. In volleyball, Hartley has mastered the tip and roll shots to complement his hard angle and line spikes. Wade said Hartley is an instinctive blocker. Wade flipped the rotation to match Hartley as a pin blocker against Pepperdine opposite Parker Kalmbach. Kalmbach was scoreless against that defensive alignment. In UH's assessment system, passes are rated on a 0-to-3 scale, with 3 being a pass in which the setter has the full availability of hitters. Of the 39 serves in his direction on Sunday, Hartley earned 3s and 2s for all but two of his passes. "He's been a very good player for us," Wade said.
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Post by kahusancali on Mar 13, 2015 11:05:44 GMT -5
Anyone else going to see the Warriors when they play U C San Diego later this month in La Jolla? My grandma and some family members are thinking of going to watch a match or both matches. We live not so far away from the venue. Off topic. We'll be in Anaheim today to watch both UH's men and women basketball teams playing in the Big West semifinals. Good luck to both teams!
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 13, 2015 14:47:17 GMT -5
Rainbow Warriors get rare breather
By Stephen Tsai, Star-Advertiser
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 13, 2015
Life in college volleyball's toughest league means every match is a white-knuckle event for the University of Hawaii.
"You're always gearing up for the big game," UH coach Charlie Wade said.
But Friday and Saturday nights, the fourth-ranked Warriors are decelerating emotionally when they host NAIA member Hope International in the Stan Sheriff Center.
Wade cautioned that the Fullerton-based Royals will be feisty.
"It's men's volleyball," Wade said. "Everybody has good players. There aren't enough teams."
But this match does not count in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standings — the Warriors are tied for first at 12-2 — and there is a bye next weekend.
"There is a natural whooo," said Wade, making an exhaling sound. "Take a deep breath. We have a couple of weeks where we don't have that. We have a nonconference opponent this weekend and no opponent next weekend. But we have to come in and keep trying to get better. While there's no motivation of the big game, we still have to try to get better."
Wade's wish is the starters will play well enough to give the B-side players reps.
"We're not looking to lose, or to lose sets even, to get everybody in," Wade said. "It's an opportunity to get some guys some good playing time, and it doesn't count toward the league standings, which, for us, is everything."
There are 21 players on the UH roster. Opposite attacker Iain McKellar underwent season-ending knee surgery in January. Setter Kekoa Pukahi, middle Luke Owens and libero Mamane Namahoe are redshirting this season. Because this is an inter-organization match, every other UH player is available to play. In particular, middles Zach Radner and Vaughn Wellenreiter, setter Alex Jones, libero Garrett Komisarek, and pin hitters Ryan Leung and Hendrik Mol probably will play extensively.
"We'd like to see a lot of guys, wholesale changes," Wade said. "Our second unit has been good and worked hard. We want to give some of the other guys quality court time. We're going to get into situations where we're going toneed to get them in a game. The more they've gone into a game, the more prepared they'll be when we need to call on them."
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Mar 14, 2015 14:39:13 GMT -5
Warriors make it a quick nightBy Stephen Tsai, Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 14, 2015 LAST UPDATED: 02:09 a.m. HST, Mar 14, 2015 BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM Hawaii’s Zach Radner hammered a kill attempt after getting a set in the middle from Alex Jones. No television coverage. No band. No problems. The University of Hawaii volleyball team set the tone early, then summoned the reserves to finish a 25-15, 25-14, 25-14 nonconference rout of Hope International on Friday night. A Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 1,669 witnessed the Rainbow Warriors win their ninth to improve to 16-3. The Royals, who compete in the NAIA, fell to 11-10. Saturday's rematch begins at 7 p.m. The Warriors dominated all phases, committing seven attack errors in 76 swings and hitting .474. They also adhered to the strategy of placing serves in play, allowing the block and defense to take control. The Warriors built a block advantage of 14 to 2.5. They had digs on 37 of Hope's 97 swings. The Royals committed 21 attack errors and hit .056. The Warriors scored the final eight points of the first set, with outside hitter Siki Zarkovic behind the service line for seven of them. The Warriors scored natural points on nine of Zarkovic's 10 serves. "We had an agreement with the coaches to just put the ball in with our serves, and see how our block reacts," Zarkovic said. "It was my job to put the ball in." Left-side hitter Scott Hartley, who played all three sets, had 13 serves without an error. "I'm a little sore from last week," Hartley said. "When you get in the game, all the soreness goes away. It's so much fun to play. I didn't want to pass up a set. I want to play as much as I can." After the first set, UH coach Charlie Wade turned to the bench. Setter Alex Jones, opposite Ryan Leung and outside hitter Kupono Fey started the second set. Middle blocker Zach Radner entered in the middle of the second set. Middle blocker Vaughn Wellenrieter started the third set. Wade's wish was for the starters to play well enough to allow the second unit — the so-called B side in practices — to earn significant court time. "As a coach, that's your intention," Wade said. "But it doesn't always play out that way." But on this night, the Warriors followed the script. Jones, who transferred after being cut by Cal State Northridge last year, was able to divvy up the offense. "Jones knows how to set the middle," Hartley said. "That's his bread-and-butter. He's darn good at that." Jones set the middle 15 times in two sets. Leung, who took the circuitous route to his senior season, played the first two years at Pepperdine. He transferred to UH two years ago, but was essentially cut last year. On Friday, despite playing with an injured left hand, Leung pounded six kills and hit .308. He also contributed to three blocks. With Taylor Averill and Davis Holt completing their UH eligibility at the end of this season, Radner is a leading contender for a middle job. Radner, a third-year sophomore, pondered his volleyball last summer. "My teammates are always there for me," Radner said. "They're my best friends. They're basically my family. I can't leave them. They make it great."' From his parents, he inherited athletic ability. His father played in the NFL and could dunk. His mother, who is 5 feet 11, has a strong tennis serve. Radner, who is 6-8, has a 39-inch vertical jump off an approach. In six turns in the front row on Friday, he had four blocks. "They beat us all the time in practice," opposite Brook Sedore said of the B-side players. "You can pull anyone off our bench and he could be a future All-American." Full Photo Gallery here. Photos by BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM
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Post by fetchin on Mar 14, 2015 15:03:32 GMT -5
Rainbow Warriors get rare breatherBy Stephen Tsai, Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 13, 2015 Life in college volleyball's toughest league means every match is a white-knuckle event for the University of Hawaii. "You're always gearing up for the big game," UH coach Charlie Wade said. But Friday and Saturday nights, the fourth-ranked Warriors are decelerating emotionally when they host NAIA member Hope International in the Stan Sheriff Center. Wade cautioned that the Fullerton-based Royals will be feisty. "It's men's volleyball," Wade said. "Everybody has good players. There aren't enough teams." But this match does not count in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standings — the Warriors are tied for first at 12-2 — and there is a bye next weekend. "There is a natural whooo," said Wade, making an exhaling sound. "Take a deep breath. We have a couple of weeks where we don't have that. We have a nonconference opponent this weekend and no opponent next weekend. But we have to come in and keep trying to get better. While there's no motivation of the big game, we still have to try to get better." Wade's wish is the starters will play well enough to give the B-side players reps. "We're not looking to lose, or to lose sets even, to get everybody in," Wade said. "It's an opportunity to get some guys some good playing time, and it doesn't count toward the league standings, which, for us, is everything." There are 21 players on the UH roster. Opposite attacker Iain McKellar underwent season-ending knee surgery in January. Setter Kekoa Pukahi, middle Luke Owens and libero Mamane Namahoe are redshirting this season. Because this is an inter-organization match, every other UH player is available to play. In particular, middles Zach Radner and Vaughn Wellenreiter, setter Alex Jones, libero Garrett Komisarek, and pin hitters Ryan Leung and Hendrik Mol probably will play extensively. "We'd like to see a lot of guys, wholesale changes," Wade said. "Our second unit has been good and worked hard. We want to give some of the other guys quality court time. We're going to get into situations where we're going toneed to get them in a game. The more they've gone into a game, the more prepared they'll be when we need to call on them." Thanks for the UH articles, Really like UH cause of Zarkovic and Hartley
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Post by kahusancali on Mar 15, 2015 3:55:53 GMT -5
Rainbow Warriors get rare breatherBy Stephen Tsai, Star-AdvertiserPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 13, 2015 Life in college volleyball's toughest league means every match is a white-knuckle event for the University of Hawaii. "You're always gearing up for the big game," UH coach Charlie Wade said. But Friday and Saturday nights, the fourth-ranked Warriors are decelerating emotionally when they host NAIA member Hope International in the Stan Sheriff Center. Wade cautioned that the Fullerton-based Royals will be feisty. "It's men's volleyball," Wade said. "Everybody has good players. There aren't enough teams." But this match does not count in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standings — the Warriors are tied for first at 12-2 — and there is a bye next weekend. "There is a natural whooo," said Wade, making an exhaling sound. "Take a deep breath. We have a couple of weeks where we don't have that. We have a nonconference opponent this weekend and no opponent next weekend. But we have to come in and keep trying to get better. While there's no motivation of the big game, we still have to try to get better." Wade's wish is the starters will play well enough to give the B-side players reps. "We're not looking to lose, or to lose sets even, to get everybody in," Wade said. "It's an opportunity to get some guys some good playing time, and it doesn't count toward the league standings, which, for us, is everything." There are 21 players on the UH roster. Opposite attacker Iain McKellar underwent season-ending knee surgery in January. Setter Kekoa Pukahi, middle Luke Owens and libero Mamane Namahoe are redshirting this season. Because this is an inter-organization match, every other UH player is available to play. In particular, middles Zach Radner and Vaughn Wellenreiter, setter Alex Jones, libero Garrett Komisarek, and pin hitters Ryan Leung and Hendrik Mol probably will play extensively. "We'd like to see a lot of guys, wholesale changes," Wade said. "Our second unit has been good and worked hard. We want to give some of the other guys quality court time. We're going to get into situations where we're going toneed to get them in a game. The more they've gone into a game, the more prepared they'll be when we need to call on them." Thanks for the UH articles, Really like UH cause of Zarkovic and Hartley article says 21 players on the UH roster? Wonder who among the players are on scholarships?
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Post by kekoagoldenbear on Mar 15, 2015 11:12:11 GMT -5
Thanks for the UH articles, Really like UH cause of Zarkovic and Hartley article says 21 players on the UH roster? Wonder who among the players are on scholarships? I'm sure many are walk-ons, since I'm sure some of them share a full year scholarship.
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