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No. 1 Hawaii men’s volleyball sweeps No. 4 UC Irvine

Dave Reardon
ANDREW LEE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
                                Hawaii’s Colton Cowell digs the ball during the first set.
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ANDREW LEE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER

Hawaii’s Colton Cowell digs the ball during the first set.

The No. 1-ranked Hawaii men’s volleyball team ran its record to 11-0 on Saturday with a sweep of No. 4 UC Irvine in the championship match of the Outrigger Invitational.

A crowd of 4,837 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched as Rado Parapunov led the Rainbow Warriors with 14 kills and UH won 25-22, 25-20, 25-20. Colton Cowell added 12 kills.

Hawaii, which has won all 24 sets it has played at home this season, ran its unbeaten home match streak to 25, going back to 2018.

The Anteaters, who fell to 7-4, were swept for the first time this season.

Although both teams compete in the Big West, the match does not count in conference standings.

UH successfully defended its 2019 Outrigger title, winning the tournament for the 10th time.

Hawaii led throughout the first set, but Irvine closed to 23-22 on Brett Sheward’s setting error. But after a timeout the Warriors closed it out with a kill by Parapunov and then Dimitros Mouchlias’ block.

Parapunov and Cowell each contributed four kills in the first set. Irvine had three aces in the first set, but also seven errors.

Irvine led most of the early going of the second set, but Patrick Gasman’s four kills came at key points to keep Hawaii in it, and he and Filip Humler combined on the block for set point. Parapunov’s ace following kills by Gasman and Humler put UH up 15-12, and the Warriors never trailed again.

The Warriors got off to a fast start in the third set, and led 24-15. After four attack errors by UH, the Warriors finally closed it when Parapunov’s soft shot found the Anteaters’ floor.

Alexandre Nsakanda was match-high with 15 kills for the Anteaters.

Cowell was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, and was joined by teammates Gage Worsley, Gasman and Parapunov on the all-tournament team. Scott Stadick and Joel Schneidmiller of Irvine and Addison Enriques of Concordia also made all-tourney. Enriques is a graduate of Kamehameha-Hawaii.

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