The brightest performance in Hawaii’s season-opening volleyball sweep belonged to the middle blocker known as "Sunshine."e

Taylor Averill, an All-America middle, slammed 13 kills without an error, assisted on two other slams and contributed to five blocks in leading the Warriors past Stevens institute of Technology 25-19, 25-14, 25-23.

Thanks to precision placements — the Warriors passed 45 serves without a mistake — "I didn’t move at all," UH setter Jennings Franciskovic said. "We were able to run the offense. I was able to set ‘Sunny.’ He’s our offense right now. He’s a go-to guy."

On one play, Averill was on his approach before Franciskovic launched the quick set to the middle.

"The one-ball is unstoppable for him," Franciskovic said. "It’s so high. He’ll put it down every time. It’s real easy. Just put it up there, and he’ll make a play."

Of the pass-to-set relay, Averill said: "Are you kidding me? That’s beautiful right there. That’s everything a middle could ask for — perfect passes, getting in system early. I think it spread our offense, and we were successful."

Left-side hitter Siki Zarkovic pounded nine kills and hit .364. Opposite Brook Sedore and outside hitter Kupono Fey combined for nine kills and no errors.

The Warriors committed only three attack errors — one in each set — in 91 overall swings.

"You can make three errors in warm-ups with nobody on the other side," Wade said of the Warriors’ accurate hitting. "Overall, we were pretty efficient."

Averill said he was pushed by the Warriors’ preseason training.

"Everybody worked so hard to step up a level, it forced me to do the same," he said. "I think my success is because of the success of the team as a whole."

Zarkovic, a junior, has toned his emotional play. He tried to hit over triple blocks and tool double obstacles. He credited consultation with the coaches, asking: "How can I improve myself, my game? I tried to progress … and not be so emotionally unstable. That helps the team."

Zarkovic’s maturity was evident in the second set, when he abandoned his toss-and-rip serve in favor of short, cutting serves. He served the final seven points of the second set.

"Two, three times, my short serve was effective," Zarkovic said. "I decided to stick with it, and we won the set."

Sedore, meanwhile, took advantage of the green light to zip spin serves. The Warriors scored points on 10 of Sedore’s 14 serves in the first two sets, including the final six of the opening set.

"That might be my best serving percentage ever," Sedore said.

Wade said the experience helped in the opener. The Warriors started three seniors and two juniors. The top two reserves — opposite Ryan Leung and left-side hitter Scott Hartley — are fifth-year seniors.

"We’ve got guys who have been around a little bit," Wade said. "This isn’t a whole new thing. We’ve been there, done that. We know it’s the first night of a long year. We’re going to try to keep getting better."

HAWAII DEF. STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 25-19, 25-14, 25-13 DUCKS (0-1)

RAINBOW WARRIOR (1-0)

Key — s: games; k: kills; e: hitting errors; att: attempts; pct: hitting percentage; d: digs; bs: block solo; ba: block assists; pts: points (kills plus blocks plus aces). Service Aces — Stevens Institute of Technology none. Hawaii 3 (Sedore, Averill, Zarkovic. Service errors — Stevens Institute of Technology 12 (Seifert 4, Carpenter 2, Ferriter 2, Evans, Smith, Aeckerle, Vaughan). Hawaii 13 (Franciskovic 2, Sedore 2, Averill 2, Zarkovic 2, Holt 2, Hartley 2, Fey). Assists — Stevens Institute of Technology 37, (Aeckerle 30, Evans 2, Smith 2, Schlosser 2, Vaughan). Hawaii 37 (Franciskovic 31, Averill 2, Zarkovic 2, Fey, Komisarek). T — 1:22. A — 1,343. Referees — Ernie Ho, Dickson Chun.