Post by V on Mar 20, 2003 21:53:09 GMT -5
By Grace Wen
gwen@starbulletin.com
When second-ranked Hawaii looks through the net tomorrow, it might be startled to see a team a lot like itself.
The second-ranked Warriors face No. 6 Pacific at 7 p.m. in the first match of a key Mountain Pacific Sports Federation volleyball series. Pacific has won five of its last six, including victories over No. 5 Lewis, Cal State Northridge and UC Santa Barbara.
If the Tigers maintain their fourth spot in the conference standings, they will be eligible for one of the eight playoff spots they missed last year. UOP ended last season tied for eighth with Northridge but lost both matches to the Matadors. This year, the Tigers have avenged those losses and also own victories against BYU and Long Beach State. Pacific (14-8, 8-5) is enjoying its first winning season since 1999.
"They're a good team. I've spent a lot of time watching tape," Warriors coach Mike Wilton said. "They have three real good outsides. They got a real good middle, a 6-8 kid (Sean Rodgers), and their setter (Chris Tamas), some people think he's the best in the country.
"They're a game behind us in the MPSF and that's a more valid measure than this silly AVCA thing we vote on once a week," Wilton added. "The MPSF thing is decided out on the court. The AVCA thing is conjured up in the brains of coaches, some of whom have real strong geographical leanings and prejudices when they vote. We're expecting to win. It's not going to be easy."
Wilton's description of Pacific could have easily been about his own team. The Warriors are coming off back-to-back victories at UCLA and have won six of the last seven matches to move past the Tigers for third in the conference standings behind Pepperdine and BYU. Senior Tony Ching earned national and conference player of the week honors for two brilliant performances against the Bruins. Ching, Costas Theocharidis, and Eyal Zimet delivered most of the punishing blows to UCLA.
Pacific is a seasoned squad, too, with five returning starters and the leadership of four seniors. Tamas is tied for second in the conference in assists (14.28.) His targets are outside hitters Aaron Wachtfogel (3.39 kills) and Martin Berntsen (4.04 kills). Opposite Nils Dauburs earned national player of the week honors in the third week of the season. The former Latvian Junior National Team member buries nearly four balls a game and gives Pacific a balanced attack. Rodgers was an all-conference selection last year and puts away 2.53 kills and has at least one block a game.
Personnel aside, the Tigers have almost the same conference losses (Pepperdine, UC Irvine, Brigham Young, Stanford) as the Warriors (15-5, 9-5).
Pacific became a Division I program in 1992. The Tigers have only reached the MPSF playoffs three times since joining the conference in 1993. Pacific took games off the Warriors last year in Stockton, Calif., but have not managed a match victory since 1997. Hawaii leads the all-time series 19-1.
gwen@starbulletin.com
When second-ranked Hawaii looks through the net tomorrow, it might be startled to see a team a lot like itself.
The second-ranked Warriors face No. 6 Pacific at 7 p.m. in the first match of a key Mountain Pacific Sports Federation volleyball series. Pacific has won five of its last six, including victories over No. 5 Lewis, Cal State Northridge and UC Santa Barbara.
If the Tigers maintain their fourth spot in the conference standings, they will be eligible for one of the eight playoff spots they missed last year. UOP ended last season tied for eighth with Northridge but lost both matches to the Matadors. This year, the Tigers have avenged those losses and also own victories against BYU and Long Beach State. Pacific (14-8, 8-5) is enjoying its first winning season since 1999.
"They're a good team. I've spent a lot of time watching tape," Warriors coach Mike Wilton said. "They have three real good outsides. They got a real good middle, a 6-8 kid (Sean Rodgers), and their setter (Chris Tamas), some people think he's the best in the country.
"They're a game behind us in the MPSF and that's a more valid measure than this silly AVCA thing we vote on once a week," Wilton added. "The MPSF thing is decided out on the court. The AVCA thing is conjured up in the brains of coaches, some of whom have real strong geographical leanings and prejudices when they vote. We're expecting to win. It's not going to be easy."
Wilton's description of Pacific could have easily been about his own team. The Warriors are coming off back-to-back victories at UCLA and have won six of the last seven matches to move past the Tigers for third in the conference standings behind Pepperdine and BYU. Senior Tony Ching earned national and conference player of the week honors for two brilliant performances against the Bruins. Ching, Costas Theocharidis, and Eyal Zimet delivered most of the punishing blows to UCLA.
Pacific is a seasoned squad, too, with five returning starters and the leadership of four seniors. Tamas is tied for second in the conference in assists (14.28.) His targets are outside hitters Aaron Wachtfogel (3.39 kills) and Martin Berntsen (4.04 kills). Opposite Nils Dauburs earned national player of the week honors in the third week of the season. The former Latvian Junior National Team member buries nearly four balls a game and gives Pacific a balanced attack. Rodgers was an all-conference selection last year and puts away 2.53 kills and has at least one block a game.
Personnel aside, the Tigers have almost the same conference losses (Pepperdine, UC Irvine, Brigham Young, Stanford) as the Warriors (15-5, 9-5).
Pacific became a Division I program in 1992. The Tigers have only reached the MPSF playoffs three times since joining the conference in 1993. Pacific took games off the Warriors last year in Stockton, Calif., but have not managed a match victory since 1997. Hawaii leads the all-time series 19-1.