No. 1 Hawaii men’s volleyball rallies to beat No. 5 Lewis in 4
Cindy Ellen Russell / crussell@staradvertiser.com / Jan. 11
Hawaii’s Rado Parapunov (19) reacted after a block during the second set of last week’s match against the Grand Canyon Antelopes. Parapunov led UH in kills in a four-set victory against Lewis on Friday.
The No. 1 Hawaii men’s volleyball team dropped its first set of the year, then responded to defeat No. 5 Lewis 20-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-23 tonight in Romeoville, Ill.
UH (6-0) turned to backup hitter Chaz Galloway for a boost in Set 2 and backup setter Brett Sheward when the Rainbow Warriors trailed by seven points in Set 3 to spark a remarkable mid-match turnaround.
The Warriors, who were without senior hitter Colton Cowell for a second straight match due to injury, were money when it mattered in the final points of the tight last three sets. Middle Patrick Gasman put the match away on UH’s second match point off a quick set from Sheward, who had 18 assists in running the offense in the last two sets in relief of starter Jakob Thelle (20 assists).
Senior opposite Rado Parapunov was the workhorse, pounding a season-high 22 kills on 49 swings, with 10 hitting errors (.245). He had 10 digs and four service aces.
Galloway, a freshman playing in his first road match, supplied eight kills on 19 swings (.368). Gasman had seven kills on 14 swings (.429) and four aces.
The match appeared to turn away from the visiting Warriors when Lewis’ Kyle Bugee had five aces during a seven-point run to give the Flyers a 9-6 lead in Set 3. UH trailed 19-12 in the set before Sheward came in and steadied the ship, and UH took it in extra points on a block by Parapunov and Max Rosenfeld.
UH led most of the way in Set 4, with Parapunov coming up with timely kills when the Warriors required them.
Lewis (3-2) out-blocked Hawaii 15.5 to 13.0.
UH continues its four-match road trip at No. 12 Loyola Chicago on Saturday.
