Every game is a playoff for Warriors

The last mulligan has been distributed.

"We’re definitely on the bubble," libero Matt Cheape said of the Hawaii volleyball team’s postseason chances. "From now on, every match will seem like a playoff match."

The Warriors need to win their final six regular-season matches, beginning with Friday night’s meeting against Pacific, to break even in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

The top eight teams qualify for the MPSF playoffs. The Warriors, who are 6-12 in league matches, are in 10th place. California Baptist is ninth, but the Lancers are transitional MPSF members and not eligible for the postseason this year. That means the Warriors are a spot behind eighth-place UC Santa Barbara (6-10).

"For us, every match matters," UH opposite Brook Sedore said. "Getting a win is crucial."

The Warriors’ starting line is behind the service line. The Warriors swept two matches against USC entering this past weekend’s two-match series against Cal Baptist.

"We served like crap the whole weekend," UH coach Charlie Wade said of the Warriors’ back-to-back losses to the Lancers. "It was disappointing."

The Warriors were putting their serves in play at about 85 percent entering the Cal Baptist series. Their serving efficiency was 74.7 percent the first night, 73 percent the second.

"In the end, you are what you are, and we weren’t even close to that," Wade said. "We didn’t put enough pressure on (the Lancers) and when we did, we didn’t sustain it."

Cal Baptist’s gym is small and the ceiling is low. But the Warriors have played well in more difficult conditions, such as Brigham Young’s thin air.

"I think you’ve got to be able to take the show on the road," Wade said. "You have to be close to your number. You might be a little better at home, but we were a lot worse (against Cal Baptist). It was so far off our numbers."

Sedore and outside hitter JP Marks were the Warriors’ best point-scoring servers earlier in the season. Sedore has struggled lately, and he eventually went to float serves to keep the ball in play.

Marks struggled with both his serving and passing in the first Cal Baptist match. Jace Olsen eventually replaced Marks.

"Physically, JP is 100 percent," Wade said. "The first (CBU) night, he couldn’t pass or serve. He’s a good passer. He just has to go out there and do it."

Of that match, Marks said: "I don’t know what was wrong. I was into it, I just couldn’t do it."

Wade said Sedore has served more accurately in practices this week. Wade said he is hopeful Marks will return to form. If not, Olsen, a transfer from Penn State, will get extended playing time.

"We’ve got four or five guys who can go in there and help us on the outside," Wade said. "We have some guys who are tired physically. We have some guys who are tired emotionally. Some guys are pretty fresh. A guy like Jace is pretty hungry to get out there and play. If a guy can help us, he’ll be out there."