Two freshmen helped usher a fresh start for the Hawai'i volleyball team in a rousing 30-27, 30-24, 31-29 victory over Ohio State last night in the Outrigger Hotels Invitational.

Before 1,255 in the Stan Sheriff Center, outside hitters Gus Tuaniga and Steven Hunt helped bury the ghosts of the disaster that was last season.

Tuaniga, Hunt and junior libero Ric Cervantes provided accurate passing — a phase absent from last year's team — to help setter Sean Carney choreograph the Warriors' offense.

"Once we got in our passing, we kept siding out," said outside hitter Joshua Walker, who led the Warriors with 17 kills. "It was a lot easier from that point. (Accurate passing) is exactly what we recruited, and exactly what we can do this year."

Hunt, who was raised in Toronto, and Tuaniga, who is from Southern California, were admittedly nervous entering last night's season-opening match.

"We tried to keep it to ourselves," Hunt said.

But they could not escape K5's hand-held camera during the pre-match introductions, in which they had to wave to the television viewers.

"I didn't know what to do," said Hunt, who was playing before a crowd of more than 1,000 for only the second time. "I've never had to do that before. I had to go on what the other guys were doing."

Tuaniga said he was "so shy once I got on the court. But me and Steve started to relax, and we got the butterflies out."

Neither made a receiving error. Tuaniga had six digs. Hunt contributed 10 digs, as well as 13 kills in 26 swings. He also had an ace.

"Didn't they both look like they played the last two years?" middle blocker Steven Grgas said. I'm super proud of them."

Carney noticed that Hunt and Tuaniga — who were the first freshman tandem to start a UH opener since 2000 — "had a little jitters. I don't think anybody in the nation can really go in, especially in the Stan Sheriff Center, and have no emotions. But they're on the court for a reason. Once they settled down, they showed what they can do."

Tuaniga and Walker were next to each other in the rotation, enabling Tuaniga to take the passing duties and freeing Walker to swing away. Walker and Hunt were opposite each other in the rotation, giving the Warriors' a left-side weapon at every turn.

"I felt good with my swing," said the 6-foot-5 Hunt, who can hit over the block. "My passing could have been better. It's a work in progress."

Carney also helped set the tone with blistering serves that kept the Buckeyes out of sync. Carney had only one of the Warriors' three aces, but he repeatedly induced bad passes that kept opposing setter Steven Kehoe on the run. That led to off-balance swings, which helped the UH passers.

That also enabled Carney to serve as Santa.

"Everybody was calling for the ball," Carney said. "If they don't get it, they're like, 'Why am I not getting the ball?' That's the attitude I want from my players. It's great when everybody wants the ball and is ready to hit."

The Buckeyes had difficulty defending the multiple attack. Walker is designed to hit from all six rotation spots. And when the Buckeyes tried to shift the block to the corners, Carney would quick-set the middles.

Grgas, who pines to be an outside hitter, debuted a step-out move in which, off a running start, he attacks a high set to the right pin. Few teams, outside of Pepperdine, run the step-out move — which is the equivalent of a power hitter in baseball placing a bunt.

"It opens up the whole court," Grgas said. "That's why I'm happy about it. It gives me a chance to hit another ball. I also get to hit on the right side, which is my favorite. ... I think it's going to help us in the long run. It gives the blockers one more thing to think about. It gives the setter another option. I think it's going to surprise a few people."

PENN STATE BEATS USC

In a clash of Rose Bowl schools, Penn State used superior serving and an active block to beat USC, 27-30, 30-23, 30-19, 29-31, 15-12.

The Nittany Lions, the NCAA defending national champions, were boosted by Will Price's 22 kills and Ryan Sweitzer's 18 kills.

"Sweitzer had stretches where he was very good," Penn State coach Mark Pavlik said. "The good thing about Sweitzer is he has no memory. He's got a defensive back's memory. If he's not successful, he doesn't worry about it."