Pepperdine eliminates Hawaii in MPSF tournament
The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors' Brook Sedore celebrates a point after a block by Jennings Franciskovic against the Pepperdine Waves during the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation semi-finals on Thursday evening at the Bren Center in Irvine. University of Hawai'i lost the match 1-3 (25-21, 22-25, 24-26, 16-25)
The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors Brook Sedore hits around the Pepperdine Waves' block during the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation semi-finals on Thursday evening at the Bren Center in Irvine. University of Hawai'i lost the match 1-3 (25-21, 22-25, 24-26, 16-25)
Punahou graduate Josh Taylor put down a match-high 22 kills and third-seeded Pepperdine knocked No. 2-seed Hawaii out of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation volleyball tournament Thursday with a 21-25, 25-22, 26-24, 25-16 at Irvine, Calif.
The semifinal victory puts the Waves (24-5) into Friday’s championship against top-seeded UC Irvine. The Anteaters (27-4) rallied past No. 4 seed USC 22-25, 25-17, 25-23, 16-25, 15-11 in Thursday’s second match.
Siki Zarkovic put down 14 kills and Kupono Fey added 11 for the Rainbow Warriors (24-6).
Hawaii still has an outside chance at being selected to the NCAA tournament as an at-large team. The decision will hinge on the outcome of Friday’s championship final.
If UCI wins Friday, then it will come down to between Hawaii and Pepperdine for the at-large. The winner of Friday’s championship gets the automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.
Hawaii libero Kolby Kanetake finished with 10 digs in the match played at the Bren Events Center.
The at-large bid will be announced Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Hawaii time.
Tied at 1-1, the match turned last in Set 3. Hawaii had set point at 24-23 following a kill by Fey. Pepperdine closed it out with a 3-0 run with two kills by Taylor and a hitting error by Zarkovic.
