Hawaii gets swept off its feet

Richard Dunn

On the heels of arguably the most exciting weekend in UC Irvine

men’s volleyball history, Anteaters Coach John Speraw is trying to

stay in the moment, yet it’s impossible not to think about where his

program is headed.

“If we keep this up, we’re not going to be No. 1 (in the nation)

just this year, but next year and other years, as well, because

recruits are going to want to come here and people (i.e. fans) are

going to keep coming,” Speraw said, following his top-ranked team’s

convincing 30-20, 30-26, 30-25 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation

victory Saturday night over No. 2 Hawaii before an announced crowd of

700.

The rafters above the bleachers at Crawford Hall, usually off

limits to fans, lined the railing from one end to the other, while

people sat on the stage behind the benches and filled every possible

crevasse that wasn’t a Crawford Hall fire violation. People were

turned away at the turnstiles because of the capacity crowd.

“We’d sure like to go back to the Bren Center and get a few

thousand people,” Speraw said. “It would be nice to (accommodate) all

the people who want to support us. And to do that, we need the Bren

Center.”

After losing to Hawaii in four games Friday night before 3,235 at

the Bren Center in the first of back-to-back meetings, Speraw, who

thrives on studying his opponent, and his staff stayed up well past 1

a.m. trying to figure out a game plan for the defending national

champion Warriors (6-2, 2-2 in the MPSF) in this one.

The Anteaters (11-1, 4-1) made their coaches look like geniuses.

“I think intellectually they were ready for this,” Speraw said of

his players. “They understood the guys they were playing against

better than (Friday) night.”

The adjustments included better passing and serving, while finding

a way to handle Hawaii’s Costas Theocharidis, who was held to just

seven kills in 20 attempts.

In this rematch, UC Irvine treated Hawaii the way it has dealt

with most opponents this season -- with no or little mercy.

The Anteaters opened with a 6-0 lead before a timeout, then

Theocharidis finally got the Warriors on the board in the first game.

And, considering how dominant the ‘Eaters’ sweep was over Hawaii,

it’s likely that UCI will remain No. 1 in the country. “It would be

nice (to stay No. 1),” Speraw said, “but the same thing holds true,

in that we want to get better every day ... we took advantage of our

experience (Friday) night, came up with a game plan and executed

well.”

Junior outside hitter Jimmy Pelzel, UCI’s leader in service aces

and kills, led the hosts with 16 kills, five blocks, four digs and

two aces. He has been the team’s kill leader in nine of the 12

matches.

Spencer Bemus, another junior outside hitter, finished with 14

kills for UCI, while senior setter David Kniffin, who played on the

Pierce Community College state championship team in 2001, had 40

assists, two blocks and two digs.

After UC Irvine’s strong start in the opening game, the hosts

maintained a comfortable lead until Bemus stepped to the service line

with his team ahead, 18-13. The Anteaters rolled off six straight

points, capped by Bemus’ service ace, for an 11-point advantage.

Senior outside hitter Monte Tucker, who led UCI with two solo

blocks and six blocking assists, recorded a stuff block for a 27-18

Irvine lead, a power kill for a 29-19 edge and a game-ending kill for

a 10-point margin of victory.

“OK, guys, that’s a wake-up call,” a Hawaii player blurted to his

teammates before the second game.

UCI pulled in front, 8-6, in the second game, following three

straight points, including a block with Nic Vislay and Russ Marchewka

lining up at the net and a kill by Pelzel. Pelzel toed the service

line with his squad leading, 10-9, and promptly produced three

consecutive points, including an ace.

“Jimmy Pelzel scored very well tonight,” Speraw said. “He put

together two great matches in a row. He had his best scoring night

(Friday with a match-high 24 kills), and then found a higher level

the next night.”

Hawaii came back in the second game for a 14-13 edge, then stayed

even or in front by a point until a Pelzel kill gave UCI a 17-16 lead

and triggered a 7-2 Anteater scoring spurt. A kill by Vislay (eight

kills and four blocking assists) lifted UCI’s lead to 21-17 and stuff

block by Pelzel (on Theocharidis) increased the advantage to 23-18.

Pelzel celebrated by raising his fist in the air.

Hawaii pulled to within 26-23, but Vislay followed with a kill and

UCI scored again on an unforced error, caused by a Kniffin serve.

“It’s not over yet,” a UCI player said to his teammates before the

third game, in which the Warriors opened with a 7-4 lead and forced

an Anteater timeout.

UCI, however, came back, first on the strength of Pelzel’s

serving. With his team facing a 10-7 deficit, Pelzel warmed up his

right arm and heaved jump-serving fastballs to the Warriors, who

couldn’t get around on his pitches. UCI scored six straight points

with Pelzel at serve to take the lead, including an ace. Pelzel ended

his own run with a serve square into the string.

UCI, which travels Tuesday to UC Santa Barbara for a conference

match in Goleta, never trailed again in the third game. In fact, the

Anteaters traded two-for-one points for a while and constructed a

25-16 advantage, following more excellent serving by Pelzel.

The Warriors, led by Tony Ching and Delano Thomas (nine kills

each), staged a minor rally -- scoring four points in a row to get

back into the game and trail, 27-23 -- but UCI held off the late

surge and won by five. Vislay ended the match with a kill.