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Senior opposite Brook Sedore put down a season-high 24 kills and senior middle Taylor Averill added 17 kills as No. 7 Hawaii topped No. 14 CSUN 23-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-22 in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation volleyball match Sunday evening at the Stan Sheriff Center
Junior libero Kolby Kanetake had 14 digs, his ninth match this season with double digits, for the the Rainbow Warriors (11-3, 8-2), winners of four straight. Sedore had one of Hawaii’s five aces, moving him into a tie with Eyal Zimet at No. 3 on the all-time career list at 103.
The victory moves Hawaii into a tie with Pepperdine for third in the MPSF. Averill, who leads the conference at hitting, had just two hitting errors in 21 swings to hit .714.
Kyle Stevenson, Josiah Byers and Greg Faulkner all had 10 kills for the Matadors (5-10, 3-8), who have dropped five in a row. Sam Holt also had 10 kills before injuring his ankle in Set 3 and leaving the match.
CSUN’s lineup was decimated by flu-like symptoms that had Friday’s starting setter John Peachey and opposite Damani Lenore both out and Faulkner moving from middle to replace Holt on the outside.
Hawaii, which has won four straight, trailed in Set 1 by as much as 19-10. Coach Charlie Wade made several changes in the lineup, putting in Alex Jones for Jennings Franciskovic at setter, Hendrik Mol for Scott Hartley at outside hitter, and Siki Zarkovic for Kupono Fey also on the outside. It was Zarkovic’s first action in six matches, having sprained his ankle in practice after the Rainbow Warriors’ road trip to UC Irvine at Jan. 28-30.
Zarkovic finished with 10 kills and Jones, a transfer from CSUN, had 11 digs to go along with 42 assists.
Hawaii travels for two matches at Long Beach State (8-6, 5-6) Friday and Saturday.
