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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Nebraskas Justine Wong-Orantes prefers bananas smashed between her pancakes, and Stanfords Morgan Hentz is all about the pancakes with chocolate chips. Texas Cat McCoy is partial to the sweet kind that taste like cinnamon rolls. Nothing fancy for Minnesotas Dalianliz Rosado -- just hot syrup, thank you.The four -- all starting liberos for the teams in volleyballs final four, which will be played Thursday at Ohio States Nationwide Arena -- dig talking about flapjacks for breakfast. Mention the pancake in volleyball, and they give a look.Hentz shivers thinking about the floor burn that comes with that SportsCenter highlight when a player dives and slides her hand flat to the ground to prevent an accelerating ball from ending the point.Thats only an emergency skill, when you make the wrong read, Hentz said.That doesnt happen much with any of these players because volleyballs premier defensive specialists are simply that good at what has evolved into one of the most important roles in the sport. In fact, after the setter position, Creighton coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth, whose team fell to Texas in the regional final, prioritizes libero second.Its the position you probably have to be the most mentally tough to play, she said. We always say if we can break down a libero, it will break the team.Its pretty cool when 5-foot-6 can counter 6-foot-1.Sometimes you think you have your shot, and they dig it like its nothing, said Minnesotas Sarah Wilhite, the espnW player of the year.Volleyball used to be a game reserved for the big kids with the heavy arms. Nobody said the word LEE-bah-ro or Luh-BARE-oh -- take your pick -- before it was introduced internationally in 1998.Along with rally scoring, the libero position was added to the college game in 2002, and that led to players in darker jerseys becoming fixtures on the floor. Thats because unlike every other player on the court, liberos do not rotate in and out. They regularly play the entire game.Before the rules change, a player such as 5-foot-6 Wong-Orantes, named an AVCA first-team All-American on Wednesday, would have been overlooked. Instead, she turned down Hawaii in favor of playing for the Big Red at Nebraska.It changed the womens game. It changed the mens games. It made it so much more exciting because of the rallies, Stanford coach John Dunning said. We can now just hit rockets, and the libero adds to the ability to continue the rally. Theres two quarterbacks on the court instead of one.The setter runs the offense in the traditional sense, but the libero does more than prevent big guns such as Wilhite and Nebraskas Kadie Rolfzen from amassing kills.The best liberos pass with the precision of Tom Brady. They put their teams back into system. They are thinkers who can read an opposing hitters tendencies so well that a defensive play can actually become an offensive one.In fact, credit Wong-Orantes for Nebraskas still being in the hunt for a second straight NCAA title. The Cornhuskers trailed Penn State 0-2 and were tied at 24-24 in the third set of the Sweet 16 last weekend when Wong-Orantes dig extended the point. Instead of a Simone Lee kill, the seniors read on the ball allowed her to set up Mikaela Foecke for a Nebraska point.Rather than being match point down for a third time, the Cornhuskers were set point up. It was the start of the epic comeback that led to this final four.Honestly, beach [volleyball] has helped me a ton, said Wong-Orantes, a California native who became the Cornhuskers all-time leader in digs this season. I played that probably for a decade. Beach prepared me in ways I never would imagine. For beach, you have to do all these skills, and that really benefited me.Diving on sand -- well, thats one thing. The grains are far more forgiving on the body than Sport Court, a softer surface that cushions the body somewhat from the physical toll liberos endure. Fresh Sport Court laid Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena is something Hentz is thankful for.It makes it easier to slide, she said.Knees and elbows take a beating, of course, no matter the surface. Hips and thighs are sore afterward too. Burns and bruises are just a given for players who typically sacrifice their bodies recklessly.The very first play of our first practice back in August, [Hentz] dug a ball that the rest of the people went, Oh, my gosh. Shes going to try harder than the rest of us on every play, and were going to have to change, Dunning said. She has done it every drill of every practice since then and every game. That attitude she brings is just marvelous.Among the four liberos in the final four, McCoy is the only one who came into college having spent substantial time at the spot. Wong-Orantes was a setter prior to Nebraska; Hentz and Rosado were outside hitters.Ive played it since I was 11, McCoy said. I love going for balls and having that fearless attitude. Thats just a liberos mentality. Fake Red Sox Jerseys . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. 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The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. Manly coach Trent Barrett is optimistic fans havent seen the last of Brett Stewart this season but whether the Sea Eagles great stays in the NRL next year remains to be seen.Stewart will undergo knee surgery next week in a procedure that will rule him out of action for about six weeks.Barrett is confident the 31-year-old will be able to return at the tail end of the season.But he wasnt prepared on Friday to make any bold predictions when asked whether Stewart was likely to see out the final year of his contract in 2017.It hasnt been discussed, Barrett said.Hes contracted for another year, hes very important to us when hes fully fit and thats our main focus.Im hoping he makes a full recovery. Hes a fantastic player and a club legend at Manly. Well just cross our fingers that he comes good.Stewart has struggled to hit anywhere close to top form this season, with reports suggesting hell switch to the Super League at the end of the season to accommodate the rise of gun youngster Tom Trbojevic.Barrett said Stewarts hopes of playing again this season rest with what the surgeon discoverss.ddddddddddddIts probably the fourth or fifth operation hes had on his knee, Barrett said.Theyre saying six weeks at the moment but were hoping he comes good. Well just have to wait and see.Manly (5-11) will be aiming to keep their slim finals hopes alive when they take on the seventh-placed NZ Warriors at Perths nib Stadium on Saturday.The Warriors have lost all seven of their matches in Perth but coach Andrew McFadden said he wouldnt be using the travel factor as an excuse.The opposition has to travel as well. Its a little bit further for us but its no excuse, McFadden said.We havent played that well in the last couple of years.Manly will also play a home match in Perth in 2017 and 2018 as part of a three-year deal.Rugby leagues presence in Perth is set to grow over the coming years.Australia will face off against New Zealand in a Test match in Perth in October, while Game 2 of the 2019 State of Origin series will be played at the new Perth Stadium. ' ' '