The Hawai'i volleyball team believes it found a way to take its game to the next level.

It shortened the practice court.

The Warriors today are scheduled to arrive in the thin air of Provo, Utah, for matches against host Brigham Young tomorrow and Friday.

In high altitude — Provo is more than 4,500 feet above sea level — volleyball serves, by some estimates, sail an additional 18 inches.

In preparation, the Warriors moved in the practice court end lines by 18 inches for yesterday's 2-hour workout in UH's Gym I.

"They made the court shorter for us," outside hitter Steven Hunt said. "It's going to help us."

This will be senior setter Sean Carney's second trip to Provo.

"It's hard to catch your breath in high altitude," Carney said.

To trim expenses, the Warriors will usually take a morning flight the day before a match. But for this trip, they reserved a red-eye flight to give them enough time to practice in Smith Fieldhouse.

"We'll have a day to iron out the kinks," Carney said. "When you serve a ball in high altitude, it usually goes an extra foot and a half. With a lot of our serves, we aim deep. It's going to be an adjustment we're going to have to make."

UH head coach Mike Wilton did not want to dwell on the effects of high altitude.

"It's all what you want to make out of it," Wilton said.

He also did not want to focus on the size of the travel squad.

The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, of which BYU and UH are members, allows teams to travel with up to 14 players. The Warriors are taking 12 players.

"We're trying to do our part," said Wilton, noting the athletic department's financial constraints. The Warriors also will be staying in a Super 8 motel.

The MPSF set the travel limit at 14 because "that makes you two deep at every position," Wilton said. "Will you play 14? No. Will you play 12? Probably not."

But it also means the Warriors will have to rework their practice drills.

Wilton said that assistant coach Mason Kuo, a former UH setter, "is coming out of retirement."

The Warriors are expected to open with their revised offense, in which Brennon Dyer will start at opposite attacker.

Freshmen Hunt and Gus Tuaniga and third-year sophomore Joshua Walker will compete for the two left-side positions. Those spots require accurate passers. Hunt and Tuaniga are the best passing outside hitters; Walker is the best attacker.

But Wilton said Walker has put up "monster numbers" as a passer and attacker in practices this week. If Walker can become even an adequate passer, he will reclaim a starting job, Wilton said.

The Warriors also will be emphasizing more quick attacks by the middles. Steven Grgas, for now, is ready to abandon a step-out move to focus on becoming an offensive threat in the middle. He also is committed to jump serving this season; last year, because of back pain, he relied on float serves.

The coaches have limited Grgas to 15 jump serves each practice. "It's all I need," he said.

Jarrod Lofy, the lone backup middle blocker, suffered a jammed thumb on his right (hitting) hand during Monday's practice. Lofy's right hand was heavily bandaged yesterday, but he said the pain has subsided.

"It should be all right," he said, noting the wrapping was a precautionary measure. "I don't want it to get any worse than it already is."