Loyola @ Hawaii #2

[ACE]

Hawaii wins game 1: 30-28

[Deleted]

Hawaii crushed Loyola in game 2 30-19.
After 2 games Loyola hitting .220 and Hawaii hitting .296
Hawaii's Jose Delgado started the night on the bench for Matt Bender to get some playing time. Delgado played in game 3.

Hawaii takes Game 3 33-31 after Loyola fought back from 13-18. Hawaii capitalized on their 4th game point Loyola hit into the net.

Hawaii sweeps Loyola as Loyola has lost 5 of 6, all losses to teams west of the Mississippi.

[sexy]

box score baby!!

www.hawaiiathletics.com/media/Stats/Vball/031806.HTM

[aaronic]

You know Loyola is not that bad of a team, honestly. They really kept Hawaii on their toes with their Backrow defense. Overall I have to say that I was really impressed by them.



Having said that, does anybody have any stats on how well Loyola is in digging? How well do they stand in that category nationally?

[mikesmith]

UH, could do well in playoffs. Two big matches ahead... BYU, BYU.

[gitrdun]

Kozlarek is #14 in digs. Would like to know where the whole team ranks though. Any help? Back to my soapbox for team stats/rankings - not just individuals.

[matty11]

check out the stats at www.miva.osu.edu

they might have conference and overall stats...

[Bookumdanoaloha]

What about the pre-game alumni matches? Did anybody watch the games.

Hawaii should ante up and bring Katz and Sivan to the Islands. For an alumni game. Katz's squad vs. Costas squad would be worth the money.

I bet it could draw 3,000 fans (just as many as a regular season game).

Bookumdanoaloha

[warriordudette88]

Hawai'i sweeps to its 11th straight victory

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

On retro night, the University of Hawai'i volleyball team turned back Loyola University Chicago, 30-28, 30-19, 33-31.

"We played Warrior volleyball," said outside hitter Matt Carere, who slammed a match-high 17 kills.

It was the Warriors' 11th victory in a row, a span of 37 days. They improved to 15-4. The Ramblers are 16-6.

There was a nostalgic feel to the evening, which began with two matches involving former UH players. Alan Hackbarth, the self-styled "Rubberband Man," also made his first — and nearly last — appearance of the season. While performing a dance routine in the stands, Hackbarth became entangled with a metal railing, falling 5 feet to the arena floor. But Hackbarth shook off the tumble, and finished his performance — a metaphorical inspiration to the Warriors.

"We kind of had trouble at the beginning, but then we played the way we're supposed to play," Carere said.

The turning point was an overturned point in Game 1. With UH down 17-14, opposite attacker Lauri Hakala served long. But the horn sounded while the ball was in mid-flight because the official scorer believed Hakala had served out of turn. After five minutes of discussion, the officials ruled Hakala indeed was in the right spot, and ordered the point to be replayed. Hakala then served the next two points.

"It definitely took our momentum away," Loyola coach Shane Davis said. "It shouldn't have been discussed that long. We needed to get the match going. We definitely cooled down. We went downhill after that."

Hakala said: "That was a really strange play. I don't want to criticize anybody, but that break was way too long. That should have been cleared way faster. Although it was a big break, we stayed focused, and we played very well after that. Then we won the first game, which is always good."

Indeed, that was important, particularly because of the Ramblers' reputed Game 2 slumps.

"I'm not sure what it is about our Game 2s, but we have trouble," Davis said.

This time, the Warriors played a large role in the Ramblers' downfall. The Warriors scored 15 points on their 30 serves in Game 2; a scoring rate of 35 percent is considered to be excellent. Carere served for four points during one turn, including back-to-back aces. Middle blocker Dio Dante, who had struggled with his jump serves in Friday's match between the teams, served for four points.

"It's very temperamental," Dante said of his jump serves. "I still missed a couple, but it was much better than (Friday) night. I'm pretty pleased with that. I think I was over-thinking it (on Friday). It got to my head. It's all in my mind. Once I can harness it, it's going to be a great tool for me."

Johnny Matt Bender, who missed the first month of the season because of torn ligaments in his left ankle, made his first start of the season. He opened at José José Delgado's spot on the left side, then moved to opposite in Game 3, replacing Hakala.

Of playing two positions, Bender said: "It was good because I wanted to do that, I needed to do it. But it was bad because I didn't play that well."

Bender had seven kills, but eight attack errors. He made nine digs, including a sprawling save to set up Carere's winning spike in Game 1.

"We think Bender, because of his personality, is the ideal fireman guy," UH coach Mike Wilton said. "He has voiced many times, 'We're playing great with these seven guys.' His attitude will always be good. He wants to play. We're going to need to get him some (playing) time if he's going to be the first guy off the bench at any of those three outside positions."

Late in Game 3, Hakala replaced Bender. "He won't admit it, but he was a little tired," Wilton said.

Bender said: "It was fun to get out there. I was nervous, but I've been nervous every time I've ever played a volleyball match, all the way back to high school."

[warriordudette88]

Bender starts; UH wins
By Cindy Luis
[e-mail]
Matt Bender has been waiting a long time to regain a starting position. Hawaii's senior outside hitter has been sidelined since the first week of January with a sprained ankle, seeing limited action in just three of the Warriors' first 18 matches.

Bender didn't have the debut he had hoped for last night, exiting late in Game 3 with a negative hitting percentage and Hawaii trailing 25-23. But the No. 3 Warriors were able to give the Arizona native what he wanted, a sweep of No. 10 Loyola-Chicago, 30-28, 30-19, 33-31.

A Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 2,847 (4,151 tickets) saw Hawaii improve to 15-4 with its 11th consecutive victory. The Ramblers fell to 16-6 after the 1 hour, 46 minute matchup.

"It looked like it's been a while, didn't it?" asked Bender, who had seven kills but eight errors. "It was fun but ... I always feel that, even if I play well, I can always play better. And I definitely didn't play that well tonight.

"I have to thank Coach (Mike Wilton) for giving me the opportunity to get back out there. I'm looking forward to seeing the starters back out there. They play so well together, they mesh so well together. At the end, they were calm. It's a big deal, especially in big games."

Although it was a nonconference win for Hawaii against the top team in the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, it was a good sendoff present for the Warriors. Hawaii plays its next four matches on the road -- at Pacific for two and Stanford for two -- before returning home to host UC San Diego on April 7-8.

Also giving the Warriors a boost is knowing they can come back against a very good team. They did it twice, when trailing in Game 1 17-13 and 27-26, and again in Game 3.

Hawaii was poised for an easy sweep, leading 18-13 in Game 3, only to have Loyola rally to tie it at 23-23. When Bender was blocked by Corey Kloos and Joe Guntli to give the Ramblers the lead at 24-23, Wilton replaced Bender with Lauri Hakala.

The Warriors finally caught the Ramblers at 27 on Hakala's eighth kill. It would be tied four more times, with Loyola holding off three Hawaii match points.

Matt Carere's 17th kill gave the Warriors their fourth shot at ending it at 32-31 and a hitting error by Loyola's Chris Kozlarek ended it.

"I think tonight we showed that we play well together and it's testament to the character of the guys on the team," said Carere, who also had two of the team's five aces. "It's great to have different guys in the lineup and still come out with a 'W.'

"It doesn't matter who's in the lineup, we play hard for each other every night. Bender is my roommate and I like when he's out there playing of course, glad he got back and got some reps. We've got a long roadie coming up and it will be a tough four matches. We're going to try to get four 'Ws.' "

Unlike Friday, when Hawaii had four players in double-figure kills, only Carere reached the mark last night.

The Warriors had a very balanced attack, with middles Dio Dante and Mauli'a La Barre combining for 17 kills and just one error each. Jose Delgado, whom Bender replaced as a starter, had six kills with only one error while playing in Game 3.

Guntli led Loyola with 15 kills and Kozlarek added 13.

Hawaii senior libero Alfred Reft had 13 of the team's 49 digs, moving him into second place in career digs with 737. He needs just three more to pass Allen Allen as the all-time leader.

"Loyola is a really good volleyball team and we were good enough," Wilton said. "I liked our composure in Game 3. I liked that Jose was a good teammate and understood we needed to get Bender some court time.

"Bender's the ideal fireman. We're going to need somebody. There's going to come a time when we're going to need someone to come in and I'm glad we have him in reserve."

[warriordudette88]

bookumdanoaloha said:

What about the pre-game alumni matches? Did anybody watch the games.

Hawaii should ante up and bring Katz and Sivan to the Islands. For an alumni game. Katz's squad vs. Costas squad would be worth the money.

I bet it could draw 3,000 fans (just as many as a regular season game).

Bookumdanoaloha

I think you're referring to Katz and Naveh, because Sivan played last night. I also saw Curt Vaughn and Torry Tukuafu. Daniel Rasay and Pedro, along with Costas and Eyal were supposed to play. If UH were to have an alumni game featuring the players of the Katz era (Naveh, Aaron, Jason Ring, Rick, Erik) against the players of the Costas era (Eyal, Dejan, Vernon, Tony, Delano) it would probably draw a lot of people. I think everyone wants to see Costas and Yuval go at.

[EP]

i would love to see stanley come back and play too

[sexy]

bookumdanoaloha said:

What about the pre-game alumni matches? Did anybody watch the games.

Hawaii should ante up and bring Katz and Sivan to the Islands. For an alumni game. Katz's squad vs. Costas squad would be worth the money.

I bet it could draw 3,000 fans (just as many as a regular season game).

Bookumdanoaloha

i thought sivan is already on oahu and coaching the kalaheo boys volleyball team??