Volleyball Team Has a Night to Remember

UC Irvine setter Cory Hinkle would not budge from Pauley Pavilion Wednesday. He sat so long and the glow was so bright, he probably needed sun block while basking in the Anteaters’ men’s volleyball victory over second-ranked UCLA.

“I was looking at my shoes,” said Hinkle, a junior. “I didn’t want to take them off. I didn’t want to take my jersey off.”

Outside hitter Steve Cavella, who did not play last season, stood in Pauley Pavilion, admiring his decision to return.

“I realized that night why I came back,” Cavella said.

Mike Rupp, whose service ace closed out Irvine’s first victory over the Bruins, was merely trying to catch his breath after being mobbed.

“It was pure, uncut joy,” said Rupp, a senior.

Senior Donnie Rafter, who had 28 kills and 15 digs, was simply amazed about Coach Charlie Brande’s vision.

“Riding up in the van, Charlie kept telling us, ‘I have a gut feeling we’re going to win tonight,’ ” said Rafter, a senior.

Who would have blamed the Anteaters for not really believing deep down inside. The Bruins, after all, were not only the No. 2 team in the nation, they also had beaten Irvine 22 consecutive times.

Brande, now in his third season at UCI, already had shown that Irvine was no longer a patsy.

“Beating UCLA was huge for this program and special for everyone of us,” Cavella said.

It was for Rupp and Rafter, the team’s leaders and most consistent players. But for Cavella and Hinkle, it was a moment to give pause. They could have missed out.

They were on the team two years ago, but quit after the season. Their departure hardly caused a ripple.

Cavella was burned out and spent the year studying.

“I had been playing volleyball since I was in the seventh grade,” said Cavella, who attended Marina High. “I played club and went through high school. I was burned out.

“I started playing again last summer at the beach. I found the fun again.”

Cavella and Hinkle approached assistant coach Travis Turner and asked to come back. Turner went to Brande and the deal was done. Cavella has had an impact; Hinkle is still a work in progress.

“Travis mentioned the other day that every time Steve hits for a high percentage, we win,” Brande said.

Cavella had a solid .385 hitting percentage with 13 kills against UCLA.

Hinkle had quit to concentrate on his studies, but began having withdrawal symptoms.

“I went to just about every match last year,” Hinkle said. “I knew this was my last chance.”

He was ticketed to spend it mostly watching. Then Kevin Reid, the team’s only other setter, became academically ineligible. Hinkle was thrust into the lineup. The results are mixed.

In the five-game victory over UCLA, he had 85 assists, the eighth-best match total in school history.

“I still have to work on my foot work,” Hinkle said. “You’re never going to be perfect. There is always an area where you can improve.”

Like packing.

Hinkle forgot his jersey when the Anteaters played at Santa Barbara. Everyone paid. The entire team had to do extra running the following practice.

It didn’t win Hinkle any popularity contests.

“It was just my way of keeping the team in shape,” Hinkle says sheepishly now.

The jersey incident resulted in a new rule.

“Cory has to wear his jersey in the van on the way to all road games,” Rafter said.

At UCLA, Hinkle wore it up to Pauley Pavilion, then wanted to wear it home.

PIZZA’S ON MOM

Two pizzas arrived at Thursday’s volleyball practice. It was a reward for beating UCLA, sent by the mother of player Devon Shea.

Fortunately for the players, it came at the end of practice. Such a a pre-practice meal would not have been advised.

The Anteaters, who are trying to qualify for the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament for the first time, have nine matches remaining and key home matches this week against Cal State Northridge (Wednesday) and Pacific (Saturday).

The top three teams in each division and the next two with the best records qualify. Irvine is 6-7 overall and 4-6 in conference play.

WHAT’S NEXT, WWF?

Ed Carroll, assistant athletic director for financial affairs, can usually be found crunching numbers. Last week, he was crunching unsuspecting students.

Carroll participated in a intramural wrestling tournament and won the 177-pound division, with a pin in the final.

It was the fourth victory for Carroll in four intramural tournaments. The first three were as a heavyweight.

This time, he slimmed down to the weight division he competed in for Cal State Fullerton in the early 1970s.

Back then, Carroll was good enough to reach the 1972 Olympic trial finals. He lost to John Peterson, who won a silver and a gold medal in two Olympics.

“I got an early take-down against him and was up, 2-0,” Carroll said of his match with Peterson. “I looked at his brother, who was John’s coach, and he looked horrified.”

It was undue concern. Final score: Peterson 23, Carroll 2.