UH sweeps UCSD, now worries about ‘freeway hangover’

Road trips have been the downfall of many a Hawaii team, particularly when playing on consecutive nights. The Rainbow Warriors hope that the road doesn’t hit back today when traveling up to Cal Baptist.

Hawaii rides a six-match winning streak into Van Dyne Gym courtesy of Friday night’s 25-16, 25-15, 25-23 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation volleyball sweep at UC San Diego. The concern for Warriors coach Charlie Wade is the same-day travel from La Jolla to Riverside, about 100 miles and 100 minutes away on a good traffic day.

“This is something we’ve never done, never traveled and played the same day,” Wade said after the Warriors defeated the Tritons for a ninth straight time. “We won’t have any practice time. We’ll get to the gym and have to be ready to play.

“We hope to avoid what I call a ‘freeway hangover.’”

Hawaii (11-2, 4-2 MPSF) appeared well-rested against UCSD (5-6, 2-5) for much of the 95 minutes in RIMAC Arena, having gotten to San Diego on Thursday. Sophomore hitter Brett Rosenmeier had a career-high nine kills in his second start of the season and the Warriors shut down UCSD junior opposite Tanner Syftestad; Syftestad came into the match averaging nearly five kills a set but had just seven total Friday in hitting .037.

“Rosenmeier has been playing well and we have liked the consistency he’s shown,” Wade said. “We had a good scouting report on (Syftestad), he’s been their main offensive weapon and has been on fire the past few matches.

“We did take our foot off the gas pedal (in Set 3) and (UCSD) was hyper-aggressive when bombing serves. It was good for us to have to compete at the end. The guys stayed focused.”

Hawaii trailed early in Set 1 before breaking a 13-13 tie on a kill by Rosenmeier. The Warriors closed out the set on a 12-3 run, highlighted by an ace from Rosenmeier and two of sophomore opposite Stijn van Tilburg sick kills.

It was tied at 5-5 in Set 2 and then it was over as three kills by freshman middle Patrick Gasman helped Hawaii take control at 11-7. Serving runs by senior middle Hendrik Mol and reserve sophomore setter Joe Worsley helped extend the margin to 19-12, and freshman opposite Rado Parapunov came off the bench for two kills and the set-ending ace.

After a 1-1 tie, Hawaii trailed in Set 3 until catching UCSD at 17. The Warriors took their first lead on an ace from Parapunov at 18-17 and it remained tight with the Tritons rallying to knot it at 23.

Following a timeout, senior hitter Kupono Fey’s seventh kill gave Hawaii match point and Rosenmeier buried his 19th swing to end it.

Gasman finished with eight kills and no hitting errors on 10 attempts and was in on three of the Warriors seven blocks. Mol added a team-high four blocks with two of Hawaii’s eight aces.

UCSD, seeing its five-match winning streak snapped, hit just .097 on the night. The Tritons outblocked the Warriors 9-7 with sophomore middle Drew Sloane in on eight.

Wade used 11 players, including both setters (Worsley and senior Jennings Franciskovic). Worsley came in as a straight sub in Set 1 and was part of a double-substitution the final two sets when he and Parapunov replaced Franciskovic and van Tilburg.