Another brilliant reminder of last year’s conquest awaits the University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team tonight.
Prior to the formal presentation of their 2022 national championship rings, the top-ranked Rainbow Warriors will try to keep their sparkling 2023 record intact in tonight’s rematch with No. 7 Pepperdine at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
The Warriors (14-0) remained the lone undefeated team in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball and extended a 23-match winning streak with a four-set win over the Waves (10-7) on Wednesday. Coach Charlie Wade expects another duel tonight.
“The second night always is more competitive because now you’re getting to watch film of yourself against them,” Wade said in Wednesday’s postmatch press conference after the Warriors weathered a dazzling 26-kill performance from Pepperdine opposite Jaylen Jasper. “I think (today) will be a highly competitive match for sure.”
The Warriors will receive their 2022 national championship rings in a ceremony following the match. Wade noted Warriors outside hitters Chaz Galloway and Spyros Chakas took the lead in the rings’ design, which will be featured on commemorative coins to be distributed to the first 3,000 fans through the gates for tonight’s rematch with the Waves.
“We will never take winning for granted and all the special experiences that come with it,” Wade said. “I hope people come out to be part of it.”
The Warriors celebrated a program record with their 27th consecutive home win on Wednesday, which included All-America setter Jakob Thelle’s return from a four-match absence.
Thelle spent much of his two-week break from competition in the training room as he rested his knees, and he had a day between matches to gear up for tonight’s rematch with Pepperdine.
“It’s good to be pain-free again so I don’t have to do so much, just manage it the same way I have been for the past months and get ready for Friday,” Thelle said after his first appearance in front of the home crowd since Jan. 20 against Saint Francis. “It’s going to be a tough one but something we look forward to.
Thelle started the first four matches of the season, then stayed on campus while the team made a cross-country journey for three matches in North Carolina. He did travel to Northern California, where the Warriors swept two matches with Stanford.
He then sat out the first two weekends of UH’s current five-week homestand while Brett Sheward — whom Thelle praised as ”the most versatile player in the NCAA right now” — moved over from libero to set the Warriors to a .386 hitting percentage over two wins over Concordia University Irvine and two more last week against Long Island University.
All the while, Thelle remained engaged in the action during his extended stint on the bench.
“It always helps watching the game from the outside a little bit,” Thelle said. “Seeing ways we can get better, ways we can be more effective and ways we can play better as a team and just being dialed in when the game comes, because you have to be 100%. You cannot just be slow on it. You have to get right back into the game and perform well.”
Wade classified Thelle’s status as “available” last week, when he took part in prematch warmups, and again earlier this week as the Warriors prepared for the series with the Waves. This time, Thelle was indeed introduced with the starting lineup to a loud ovation prior to Wednesday’s match.
Thelle went on a five-point run on his first turn on the service line. He connected with outside hitter Spyros Chakas for 18 kills on .516 hitting and the Warriors hit .420 as a team in the four-set win.
Chakas also set a career high with 12 digs and Thelle pointed to the service line as an indication of his uptick in intensity.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen Spyros really just hammer the ball from the service line,” Thelle said. “I think for him to get a little more energy, being a little more aggressive on his service has been something he’s been wanting to do, but today he just really got that out.
“He’s a really confident player. I always know I can go to him whatever the situation.”
Rainbow Warriors Volleyball
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
No. 7 Pepperdine (10-7) vs. No. 1 Hawaii (14-0)
>> When: Today, 7 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420-AM/92.7-FM
