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Top-ranked Hawaii men’s volleyball team sweeps Concordia Irvine

Brian McInnis
ANDREW LEE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
                                Hawaii’s Gage Worsley digs the ball during the first set.
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ANDREW LEE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER

Hawaii’s Gage Worsley digs the ball during the first set.

The No. 1 Hawaii men’s volleyball team will face fellow Big West member UC Irvine for the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts championship on Saturday night after sweeping No. 14 Concordia Irvine 25-19, 25-21, 25-15 tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.

UH (11-0), which rested its big guns in Thursday’s sweep of Queens, brought the stars back out for the matchup with the Eagles (5-6) in front of 3,284.

Senior opposite Rado Parapunov pounded 17 kills on 25 swings (.560) to surpass 900 kills for his career, and senior hitter Colton Cowell had 15 kills on 31 swings (.355). All five of Hawaii’s primary attackers had seven or more kills, as Filip Humler, Patrick Gasman and Guilherme Voss combined for 22. Setter Brett Sheward dealt 49 assists and libero Gage Worlsey popped up 12 digs.

>> Click here for photos of tonight’s match

Now they will go for the program’s 10th title in its signature event in Saturday’s de facto championship game against fourth-ranked Irvine (7-3) at 7 p.m. It counts as a nonconference match.

The Warriors overcame 13 service errors to Concordia’s three for their 24th straight home win. UH hit .469 to CUI’s .180 and won the blocks battle 10.5 to 6.5.

Parapunov passed the 900-kill career mark in Set 2 and put down the final point of the frame.

Set 3 was no contest, as UH spurted out to a 10-1 lead. Parapunov checked out with UH leading 19-11.

UC Irvine, which won this event in 2015, beat Queens in four sets in today’s first match.

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