Trip to Music City USA should be a blast for UH volleyball team

Nashville, Tenn.

Music City USA.

Home to the Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame and, this week, Off the Block’s Grow the Game Challenge men’s volleyball tournament.

Given the chance, Hawaii sophomore middle Patrick Gasman and junior setter Joe Worsley would go line dancing but the odds of that happening for the two huge country music fans are about as slim as one of their favorite groups — the Zac Brown Band — dropping in to watch the inaugural 10-team event at Lipscomb’s Allen Arena.

The better bet is that No. 4 Hawaii (3-0) returns home with three victories and its second championship trophy in eight days. The Rainbow Warriors open on Friday with Lincoln Memorial, an independent program in its second year, then face defending Conference Carolinas champion Barton on Saturday and conclude on Sunday with Grand Canyon, which has moved from the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

Hawaii left Wednesday night fresh off the season-opening Texaco Classic, where the Warriors swept Stevens, Juniata and No. 12 USC at the Stan Sheriff Center.

“We’re pretty happy about how we kicked off things at home,” said Worsley, named the Most Outstanding Player of the Texaco Classic. “Now we’ll have to play well in another environment against new competition. For a lot of our guys, this is the first time traveling. The first road trip is always exciting.

“Our team last season which had a ton of success (27-6, NCAA tournament semifinalist) but we don’t want to make comparisons. This is a whole new season, a whole new team. It’s only the beginning for us.”

Gasman is up for the challenge as well as some barbecue.

“I think what we learned last week was some guys still have some nerves,” Gasman said. “Against USC we were getting more out of our shells and looking like the team that is going to win the national championship this year.

“I’m looking forward to playing some teams we haven’t played before. On the depth chart, they don’t seem as strong but we’ll play like they are the No. 1 team in the nation. We should be 6-0 when we come back and then get ready for UCLA. Those will be big matches (Jan. 26 and 28).”

This week’s competition and next week’s bye-week practices will continue to give Hawaii coach Charlie Wade a chance to “explore how much depth we have,” he said. He used 14 of 17 players last Thursday against Stevens, 15 against Juniata on Friday and 10 against USC Saturday.

“We’ll use multiple lineups this week,” said Wade, who is taking 14 players on the trip. “We’re getting three nonconference matches on the road. We’re learning to travel, be as professional as possible, show up in a different environment and play our best.

“Some of (the issues) are from playing so many guys but you want your bench guys (getting) meaningful playing time in real game situations. If you’re giving them the chance now, they’ll be better prepared later if you need them whether it’s for illness, injury or performance.”

No. 4 Hawaii and No. 13 Grand Canyon are the marquee teams in the field. In addition to Barton (0-1), which lost to GCU last weekend, and Lincoln Memorial, the field includes Charleston (0-0) of DI-II Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, DI-II MIVA teams Lindenwood (0-0) and McKendree (0-4), and D-III Conference Carolinas members Erskine (0-0), Limestone (0-2) and North Greenville (1-1).