FAIRFAX, Va. >> The reinforcements arrived Thursday — on the bench and in the stands.

The University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team arrived in Virginia on Tuesday with the usual 15-player travel roster the Rainbow Warriors had carried over their first five road trips this season.

They were joined by the rest of the team prior to Thursday’s NCAA tournament semifinal match with Penn State in an entourage that included administrators and staff members as well.

After the Warriors outlasted the Nittany Lions in their first five-set match of the season in a raucous EagleBank Arena, UH coach Charlie Wade noted the contributions of one of the staffers who made the trip to Virginia for the match.

“You get into to that stage, it’s our strength coach, Josh Elms is the one that put the work into it,” Wade said. “Because we hadn’t been in a fifth set (this season), so you never really know how they’re going to respond, and I saw fresh legs and good posture and guys really feeling good in the fifth set.

“I think that speaks to the offseason conditioning and what these guys put themselves through throughout the year.”

The Warriors had enough in the tank to push through the finish of the 2 hour, 35 minute match, converting on eight of 12 attacks in the fifth set.

They also leaned into the energy provided by their teammates (who can join the team on the bench but not suit up) and a fan base that made the journey to the East Coast along with the UH band and cheerleaders.

Hawaii fans turned UC Irvine’s Bren Events Center into the “Stan Sheriff Center-East” during the Big West Tournament two weeks ago, and the Warriors again had an edge in support on Thursday.

“I feel they brought the energy when we needed it,” UH outside hitter Chaz Galloway said. “When we were a little quiet or flat, the fans were there to lift us up.”

The UH contingent in a crowd of 3,782 for the semifinal doubleheader announced its presence with a startling roar when the Warriors made their way to the court after UCLA finished off a sweep of Long Beach State in the night’s first match.

“To be honest, we didn’t expect that many people to travel from Hawaii,” opposite Dimitrios Mouchlias said. “It was great. I cannot describe the feeling.”

Penn State experienced a true UH home crowd during its visit to SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center for the Outrigger Volleyball Invitational in March and quieted the arena in snapping the Warriors’ 29-match home winning streak on March 10.

The Nittany Lions had a far shorter trip from University Park, Pa., about a 31⁄2-hour from Fairfax, and came away impressed by UH’s turnout in Virginia.

“Credit to Hawaii and their fans for coming all the way out here,” Penn State outside hitter Brett Wildman said. “It shows a lot of dedication to their program and I respect that a lot.”