By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Freshman outside hitter Pedro Azenha paid the first installment on an IOU in leading the University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team to a 30-16, 24-30, 30-16, 30-26 victory over Pacific last night in the Stan Sheriff Center.
A crowd of 3,885 watched Azenha amass 15 kills, three aces and six digs.
"I wanted to show how much I love playing here," said Azenha, a late replacement for outside hitter Tony Ching, who had flu-like symptoms.
Azenha, a freshman from Brazil, also was ailing, suffering from a slight fever and congestion. "I was not feeling too good," he said. "I took a rest and some medication. I just wanted to play."
It was Azenha's first match since Feb. 20, a hiatus during which he quit the team for three days because of homesickness. But he soon changed his mind, and team captain Eyal Zimet asked UH coach Mike Wilton to give Azenha a second chance. The team unanimously voted for Azenha's reinstatement.
"We need him, and it's good he's with us," Zimet said.
Azenha said he wanted to repay his teammates for their support. "I'm really happy to be back on the team," he said. "I'm planning to stay here until I graduate."
UH setter Kimo Tuyay said: "After that little incident, you can lose your motivation. But he proved he wanted to be here all along. Pedro stepped up. He played well. I'm glad he's back on the team."
He was needed against the Tigers, whose setter, Chris Tamas, is one of the best in the country. After reviewing videotapes this week, the Warriors decided the best way to neutralize Tamas was to make it difficult for him to receive passes. The answer, Tuyay said, was a diverse menu of serves.
With Delano Thomas, Costas Theocharidis and Azenha bringing the heat, and Zimet, Tuyay and Brian Nordberg placing floaters, the Warriors controlled the match's ebb and flow. When the Tigers aligned four passers along the end line, the Warriors dropped short serves.
"When you have diverse serves, sometimes an easy serve can throw off a team," Tuyay said. "We have guys who can float serves and guys who can bring it. Right now, the whole college game is passing and serving. Whoever can pass and serve well is going to win. If you serve well and get them out of the system, you can get three blocks up and try to minimize what they're trying to do."
The Warriors amassed nine aces. Some of their serves led to overpasses, which they crushed for points. The Tigers' best hitter, Nils Dauburs, was benched after committing errors on seven of his first 10 swings.
"They were hitting devastating serves and we weren't passing," Pacific coach Joe Wortmann said. "That will be a problem."
The Tigers had no rebuttal, countering with one ace and 19 service errors.
With time to run their offense, Tuyay looked to Thomas and Nordberg in the middle, and Theocharidis (20 kills) and Azenha outside. "Pedro did a great job," Nordberg said. "We definitely missed Tony, but Pedro didn't miss a beat."
Box scorethe.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2003/Mar/22/sports1.gif
