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Although Hawaii wears the target as the top-ranked men’s volleyball team in the country, the Rainbow Warriors maintain the perspective of a hunter.
UH ascended to the top line of the AVCA Division I-II Top 15 last week and remained atop the poll through a bye week. While the Warriors own the distinction as No. 1, “we have to fight like we’re No. 2,” UH setter Jakob Thelle said.
“It’s for sure something we can use to go even harder in the gym,” the sophomore added, “and I think that’s been motivation for this entire year and the past year, too. It’s something we use to get even better and improve our game.”
After sweeping through a season-opening road trip, the Rainbow Warriors headed back to California earlier this week and play their first match of the season as the consensus No. 1 today when they face No. 3 UC Santa Barbara to open the Big West schedule.
The three-match series between the Warriors and Gauchos, both 4-0, continues with another conference matchup on Friday, with Saturday’s finale considered a nonconference meeting. All three matches are set for 2 p.m. at UCSB’s Robertson Gym.
UH was ranked second when it opened the season by winning two matches at UC Irvine and two more at UC San Diego. After preseason No. 1 BYU dropped a match to Grand Canyon on Feb. 25, Hawaii supplanted the Cougars atop the AVCA poll last week. UH also tops the Off the Block National Media Poll and UCSB moved up to No. 2 this week, receiving a first-place vote.
“Anywhere you are in the top five is up to debate, anyone can win against anyone when they’re in the top five,” UH middle blocker Guilherme Voss said. “It’s a nice place to be, everyone is trying to be in our spot. But we don’t let it affect us too much, we’re just working hard like always.”
With game tape to review in the break, UH coach Charlie Wade said defending an up-tempo UCSB attack was among the facets the Warriors focused on in practices following the first road trip.
In the meantime, the competition within the deep Warriors roster helped the team keep sharp between trips.
“No doubt practice is a pretty high level,” Wade said. “That’s a lot of fun.”
Over the first four matches, Thelle ran a UH attack that posted a .398 hitting percentage compared to a combined .224 for UC Irvine and UC San Diego. Seniors Rado Parapunov and Colton Cowell enter today’s match with 49 kills each, with Parapunov hitting .402 and Cowell at .358.
UCSB also opened the season by sweeping two-match series with UC San Diego and UC Irvine and traded spots with Pepperdine in rising from No. 4 to No. 3 in this week’s AVCA poll.
Senior opposite Randy DeWeese earned the Big West and AVCA National Player of the Week awards. The 6-foot-6 senior hit .361 while averaging 4.21 kills per set in the Gauchos’ opening week. He also had six aces, nine blocks and 26 digs.
Keenan Sanders was named the Big West Defensive Player of the Week after posting 13 total blocks while hitting a league-high .644. Punahou graduate Ryan Wilcox, a sophomore outside hitter, is second on the team with 3.00 kills per set.
“They’re really good, no doubt,” Wade said. “They run a really fast offense and are good at it. They’ve always had good ball control, they always play good defense and now, like a lot of us, have a lot of real veteran guys in the gym. So they are really good, there’s no question.”
A streak will end with today’s series opener, either UCSB’s 12-match winning streak dating back to last season or UH’s run of six straight wins over the Gauchos going back to 2017.
BIG WEST MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
At Robertson Gym; Santa Barbara, Calif.
No. 1 Hawaii (4-0) vs. No. 3 UC Santa Barbara (4-0)
>> When: Today-Saturday, 2 p.m.
>> Radio: 1420-AM (today, Friday), 1500-AM (Saturday)
>> Streaming video: bigwest.tv
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