Fresh legs give Pirates the edge

Bryce Alderton

If the Orange Coast College men’s volleyball team wants to improve

on last season, it will have to go undefeated.

The volleyball standard at Coast has risen exponentially the last

two years as the Pirates have won consecutive Orange Empire

Conference championships en route to two consecutive appearances in

the state finals -- both losses to three-time defending champion Los

Angeles Pierce. Last season’s 22-1 mark was the best in school

history.

Coast coach Chuck Cutenese, the OEC Coach of the Year for both

men’s and women’s team following the 2002 season, enters his 12th

year with the program. Even though he lost such standout sophomores

such as Jeff Taylor, Soeren Schneider, Greg Ford and Scott Winant,

Cutenese feels confident this year’s group of young, but “athletic

and quick” athletes can give the Pirates another conference

championship and an appearance in the state final.

“The talent is there and the leadership from our few sophomores

(four) is there,” Cutenese said. “They are all big jumpers, physical

and quick.”

Kaione Scott (libero), Poyer Poia and Nick Yeager (outside

hitters) and setter David Doxey headline the sophomore class. Scott

and Poia will start with Doxey battling with freshman Mike Murphy

(Dana Hills High) for the setting nod.

Sophomore Kyle Martin, who redshirted last season, has the inside

track to the starting spot at opposite with freshman Doug Lewis

following closely behind. Martin played at UC Irvine two years ago.

Four freshman could start throughout the year at middle blocker,

including Setiam Allah (University), Levi Luster, the team’s tallest

player at 6-foot-6, Kyle Desmet (Woodbridge) and Dane Gilliam.

The middles are able to induce side outs, but Cutenese said they

need to learn how to play at a faster pace during rallies than what

high school offered.

Poia walked on just last week, and heads Cutenese’s group of

outside hitters that also feature freshmen Michael Alleman, Kaimana

Kamalani and Jason Koenig (Marina High), in addition to Lewis and

Yeager.

“All (of the outside hitters) are physically-gifted with good

jumping ability,” Cutenese said. “We expect a lot from our outsides.

We have always had strong outsides so we can count on that

tradition.”

Freshman Matt Skolnik will also see action at libero behind Scott,

providing passing and added defense, Cutenese said.

Coast will be without the services of opposite Zach Jardine (6-8)

for the entire season. Jardine will redshirt this season and return

to the team next year. He will focus on getting his associates degree

and has been in contact with Pepperdine, Long Beach State, Cal State

Northridge and UCI about playing volleyball. Taylor now plays at

Northridge and Ford is a libero for UCI, ranked No. 1 in the nation

(10-0) heading into its showdown with No. 2 Hawaii Friday night.

Sophomore Paul Pomroy (opposite) needs to pass a class to become

eligible, which could happen as early as next week, Cutenese said.

Jardine, a first-team All-OEC selection last year, led the Pirates

in kills in at least three matches last season.

Six Coast players are natives of Hawaii, a trend started three

years ago with Ed Chun, who set a school record in 2001 with 233 digs

as a libero and was a first-team All-OEC pick.

“Volleyball is so huge (in Hawaii),” Cutenese said. “(Hawaiians)

are gifted athletes and it’s a close-knit community. People tell

others of their experiences. (Chun) knew people and helped spread the

word.”

Opening against the University of San Diego’s club team, followed

by matches against the University of Baja California-Mexico and

Loyola Marymount later in the season, will give Cutenese an

opportunity to tinker with lineups to find effective combinations.

The games against the club teams don’t count toward Coast’s

conference standings. The Pirates begin Orange Empire Conference play

against Mt. San Antonio Feb. 5.

The Bucs will also compete in the 15-team Long Beach City

Tournament, won by Coast the last two years, Saturday.

Cutenese picked L.A. Pierce as the favorite to win the OEC again,

but hasn’t seen the six conference teams compete yet. Three will

qualify for the playoffs, which is what Coast players decided was the

team’s goal.

Cutenese prefers to let the players determine the team’s goals and

doesn’t refer to what happened in the past as motivation.

“Long Beach has continually been strong and Irvine Valley and

Golden West are in our back yard,” Cutenese said. “Their players know

our players and vice versa. Barring any injuries, the pieces are

there.”