University of Hawaii men’s volleyball wins first-ever national title in three-set sweep

University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team earns its first national title after making four appearances in the championship. The last time UH volleyball won a title was by the women’s team in 1987. (Courtesy University of Hawaii Athletics)

 

By Alfred Acenas
EBC Hawaii-Pacific Bureau

HONOLULU (Eagle News) – The University of Hawaii (UH) swept Brigham Young University (BYU) in the NCAA National Collegiate Volleyball Championship match on Saturday night, May 8, at the Covelli Center on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus.

In their fourth national title match appearance, the Rainbow Warriors (17-1) advanced to the championship match after defeating the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) in the semifinals and brought home the university’s first-ever men’s title, as well as the first for the university’s volleyball program since the women’s team last won the championship in 1987.

Leading the way for UH was American Volleyball Coaches Association and Big West Player of the Year senior opposite hitter Rado Parapunov with 13 kills hitting .357 and three service aces. Senior outside hitter Colton Cowell contributed seven kills and three service aces, and senior middle blocker Patrick Gasman had seven kills and two blocks. Freshman outside hitter Chaz Galloway added six kills hitting .667, while sophomore setter Jakob Thelle contributed 36 assists and four service aces.

Both teams went neck-and-neck to open the match, before kills by Cowell and Parapunov, and a hitting error by BYU’s Gabi Garcia Fernandez put the Rainbow Warriors up 8-5. A service error by BYU gave the Rainbow Warriors the first set win 25-21.

UH opened the second set with an early 2-0 lead before BYU took three straight points of its own. Both teams stayed close until a six-point serving run by Thelle pushed the Rainbow Warriors ahead 16-8. BYU went on a 6-2 run, but three consecutive service aces by Parapunov put the Rainbow Warriors up 23-14 and they never looked back. UH closed out the second set 25-19.

In the third set, the Rainbow Warriors jumped out to a 9-4 lead on two kills by Thelle before BYU got within two at 13-11 and 14-12. Still, UH maintained the lead and never looked back, ending the final set at 25-16.

Back home in the Aloha State, congratulatory remarks immediately poured in all over social media. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi tweeted, “At a time when we needed it most, you guys delivered big time!! Congratulations to the National Champions! You have made all of us in Hawai’i so very proud!!! BRAVO!”

On the following Sunday afternoon, May 9, UH Mānoa campus in Honolulu hosted a contactless, drive-by celebration in which hundreds of fans attended to personally congratulate the champions.

(Eagle News Service)