By: Tiff Wells
Coaches will split the season into three parts: non-conference, conference and postseason. With the first-third of the season into the review mirror with a 17-1 record, it was now time to begin the second third of the season. And what a way for it to begin. For the first time in quite some time for Hawai`i would open up conference play with longtime rival Long Beach State. The two teams met four times during the 2022 season, two each in the regular season and postseason. The Beach won both meetings in the regular season, while the Rainbow Warriors won the two matches that gave them hats, shirts and trophies…the Big West Conference Tournament final and the NCAA Championship match.
The way Long Beach State played from the start on night one, it was as if they were out for payback to avenge their two postseason losses to Hawai`i a year ago. LBSU could do no wrong and UH had no answer for anyone or any part of Long Beach’s game. Siding out at 80% (17-21) off first-ball contact, LBSU hit .542 (14-1-24) to win Set 1 25-20. After settling into the match, the Bows saw themselves take a 21-19 lead. UH would have four set point opportunities…couldn’t cash in on any of them. UH hit an absurd .516 (19-3-31), sided out at 79% (23-of-29)…didn’t matter. The Beach hit .568 (23-2-37) and sided out at 85% (23-of-27), winning the set 29-27 on a service ace. Momentum, energy all on the side of the visitors as they headed into intermission. Set 3 tied at 18-all, LBSU strung together a couple of points, sided out to win the set 25-22 and the match 3-0. UH had trouble in receiving serve, couldn’t string together points off their own serve and couldn’t slow down anyone from Long Beach State. Four Beach attackers hit .500 or better, while the .484 hitting percentage was the highest by any opponent against Hawai`i this season. After beginning the season 16-0, UH had lost two of it’s last three…both of those losses coming at home. What adjustments would they make? How would they respond? Typically in a 2-match series, UH does tend to play a little bit better on the second night. And the team that loses the first match usually comes back in night two and plays as the more desperate team as they want to earn a split of the series.
In front of a very large Saturday night crowd, the best fans in the land showed up. As they have done throughout the season, as they have done throughout the years. They come for the big matches, they come to see good volleyball, but more importantly they want to be there for the home team. The fans were present, wanting to a see a good show. And they weren’t disappointed at all. Coming back from being swept the night prior, UH played angry and played with purpose, wanting to atone for that home loss. A Jakob Thelle match opening ace gave UH the lead for good in Set 1 as the Bows led wire-to-wire, for a 25-20 victory. The Bows nearly played perfect as they hit .625 (15-0-24), sided out at 81% (13-of-16) to take the early match lead. With the crowd involved, trying to will this team to a commanding match lead, the advantage was 20-14. No lead is safe against The Beach as UH held set point at 24-20. 3 set points averted, Beach serving at 23-24. A Beach kill by Sotiris Siapanis tied the set at 24-all, but Head Coach Charlie Wade was implored by his Associate Head Coach Milan Zarkovic to challenge the play. After a lengthy reviewed, it was ruled Siapanis was in the net prior to the ball landing on UH’s side. Challenge won. Challenge kept. Call reversed. Set two to Hawai`i 25-23. Tied at 22-all in Set 3, UH scored three of the final four points, including back-to-back blocks to win the final two points and take the set 25-23, winning the match in straight sets.
Coming up huge over the weekend was Chaz Galloway. After just one kill in the UCLA match the previous week, Galloway recorded 21 kills on 42 swings with just four hitting errors. The block showed up as well, recording 11 total team blocks. UH also hit very efficiently, hitting .385 (36-6-78) for the match. The Bows were also smart on their attacking as Long Beach State, the nation’s leader in blocks per set coming in (2.93/set) only recorded two (a season-low) in the loss. A night after his worst offensive performance of the season, Spyros Chakas bounced back to hit .348 (10-2-23), while his fellow countryman Dimitrios Mouchlias put down eight kills on 20 swings.
Getting the win was important. As a morale booster for the team after falling in straight sets the previous night. Earning the regular season split with Long Beach. Starting conference play at 1-1 is a lot better than going 0-2 and with just eight conference matches left, each are important in terms of seeding for the Conference Tournament. And a 3-0 win over the #4 team in the RPI is a great bullet point on the resume. Also important is that even with the split in the series, UH won the tiebreaker of points scored (144-141).
Now the Bows head back on the road for the first time since the Stanford series (Feb. 10-11) to face CSUN. Under a first-year Head Coach, the Matadors have won more matches this year (12) than all of last year (6). Also ranked for the first time in a couple of years, CSUN (12-7, 1-1 BWC) has been playing better volleyball this season. However, they did fall at home in 5-sets on Saturday to Daemen. Matches Friday and Saturday from Northridge, both starting around 7:00 p.m. PT, 4:00 p.m. HT. ESPN Honolulu will have coverage both nights, beginning at 6:45pm PT, 3:45pm HT with Rainbow Warrior Countdown, presented by Southern Turf Hawai`i.
#GoBows #WarriorBall23 #HawaiiMVB #NCAAMVB
