Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – One day after squandering a one set lead over Cal State Northridge in a five-set defeat, the University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team slammed the door on a 35-33, 31-29, 30-19 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation victory Saturday afternoon at the Matadome.

 

The Warriors (11-6, 7-5 MPSF) rallied from six points down to win the first set and closed out the Matadors (13-6, 10-6) in the second set for a commanding two sets to none lead. In Set 3, Hawai'i stormed out to a seven-point lead and would not be threatened the rest of the way.

 

UH also held CSUN middle blocker Jacek Ratajczak in check with only nine kills in 24 swings. On Friday, Ratajczak blasted 30 kills with no errors in the five-set Matador victory. For the Warriors, Jonas Umlauft had a team-high 17 kills while Joshua Walker slammed 16 kills to go along with three service aces, seven digs, and six blocks.

 

Ernie Vidinha came off the bench and sparked UH with seven kills in 12 swings in place of Steven Hunt. Middle blocker Matthew Rawson had a team-high seven blocks as the Warriors out-blocked CSUN, 10.5-7 and out-hit the Matadors, .368 to .246.

 

UH trailed for much of Set 1 and found themselves down 19-13 after six straight Matador points. With CSUN leading 24-19, the Warriors started their comeback with three straight points to pull with two. Moments later, after a Vidinha ace, UH trailed 28-27 and then held off two set points to tie the score at 29. Hawai'i had set point at 31-30 after Walker's kill and block and ended it at 35-33 with Vidinha's second kill of the set.

 

In Set 2, UH jumped out to an 11-7 lead before the Matadors tied it with four straight points. The lead traded sides five times until Umlauft's kill gave the Warriors set point at 29-28. Swinging for the set, Walker was stuffed by Ratajczak and Matt Stork. Umlauft answered with another kill and John Baker's hitting error gave the Warriors the two-set lead.

 

With momentum on its side, Hawai'i jumped all over the Matadors in Set 3, taking 6-1 and 12-5 leads. Walker's third aces of the day gave UH a 28-19 advantage.

 

The Warriors take Sunday off before a two-match series with USC, Monday and Tuesday in Los Angeles. Earlier this season, UH upset the top-ranked Trojans in the championship match of the Outrigger Hotels Invitational.