Warriors turn it up on UCLA

The University of Hawaii volleyball team’s night to remember was UCLA’s nightmare to forget.

Roused by Monday’s five-set wake-up call, the top-ranked Warriors stormed to a 25-13, 25-18, 25-18 victory over the No. 12 Bruins in Tuesday’s rematch in Pauley Pavilion.

A crowd of 989 saw the Warriors win their 14th in a row, including all four in this five-day road trip. The Warriors return to Honolulu with records of 21-3 overall and 16-2 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

"It was a fun night," UH coach Charlie Wade said. "We played good early and often."

On the second play of the night, UH outside hitter Kupono Fey hit a shot that appeared to be touched. The officials decided otherwise, and what should have been a kill was ruled an error. The Warriors would commit only four attack errors — all by opposite Brook Sedore — in their remaining 70 swings of the match.

On Monday night, setter Jennings Franciskovic was replaced after the Warriors lost the first two sets. On Tuesday, Franciskovic went the distance, guiding the Warriors to .465 accuracy.

"Jennings set well," said Wade, noting Franciskovic prospered from passers Fey, Siki Zarkovic and Kolby Kanetake.

Kanetake, a junior libero, missed the first two matches of this trip because of back issues. Of Kanetake’s leadership, Wade said, "I think it’s his samurai-warrior heritage. If he’s not the best libero in the country, he’s at least in the conversation."

Accurate passing expanded Franciskovic’s menu. Zarkovic, who did not have an attack error, and Sedore had mirror statistics: 10 kills each, five blocks apiece.

Middle Taylor Averill slammed eight kills in 13 swings.

Davis Holt, who was pulled after two sets on Monday, came back to contribute to nine of the Warriors’ 12.5 blocks.

"He didn’t block well (Monday) night," Wade said of Holt. "He was frustrated. He got replaced. He wants to play every minute of every game. Really, that first set, he got after it blocking."

The Warriors usually have a four-match trip each year.

"The last night," Wade said of past extended trips, "we look tired, the legs aren’t there and the passing is sloppy. (On Tuesday), we were absolutely dialed in. We did not look like we were coming off four matches in five days. When we play like that, we’re going to be hard to beat."

Wade said Monday’s match served as a "wake-up call." He substituted three starters in that match. Wade said the Warriors had not fully recharged following a 19-day stretch when they had a bye and played a lower-division opponent.

"We realized it wasn’t the same emotionally — the execution, the focus," Wade said. "We know we can play at a really high level. It’s like what I like to say: ‘Looks like, sounds like, smells like.’ There’s the feeling when you know it. That was the challenge for the guys."

In the first set, Averill’s kill sparked a 3-0 run that helped the Warriors break from a 13-all tie.

"After the first set, when we really got after it, it was, ‘OK, can you do it again?’ " Wade said. "They did it in the second set. It was, ‘OK, can you do it again?’ "

It was tied at 11 in the third before Sedore scored on a line shot. Then Holt crushed a quick set. Franciskovic’s serve landed inches in front of the end line, ending the suspense.

"We played well in every phase of the game," Wade said. "It was a very efficient, very productive outing."

Jake Arnitz led the Bruins with seven kills, but he committed six errors and hit .053.

NO. 1 HAWAII DEF. NO. 12 UCLA, 25-13, 25-18, 25-18

Key — s: games; k: kills; e: hitting errors; att: attempts; pct: hitting percentage; d: digs; bs: block solo; ba: block assists. Service Aces —
Hawaii 5 (Zarkovic 2, Franciskovic, Fey, Mol). UCLA 3 (Stahl, Arnitz, Fisher). Service errors — Hawaii 13 (Franciskovic 4, Zarkovic 3, Sedore 2, Averill 2, Fey, Holt). UCLA 13 (Sprague 4, Stahl 3, Arnitz 3, Matheis, Hessenauer, Fisher). Assists — Hawaii 34 (Franciskovic 29, Zarkovic 2, Kanetake 2, Fey). UCLA 26 (Matheis 25, Fisher). T — 1:28. A — 989. Referees — Tony Chan, Scott Hogue.

MPSF VOLLEYBALL

x-clinched MPSF Tournament berth
y-clinched MPSF Tournament quarterfinal home match

Tuesday
Hawaii def. UCLA, 25-13, 25-18, 25-18
Wednesday
CSUN at UC Irvine
Thursday
USC at Pepperdine
Cal Baptist at Stanford
Friday
CSUN at UC San Diego
Long Beach State at UC Irvine
Saturday
Long Beach State at UC San Diego
Cal Baptist at Pepperdine
USC at Stanford