ESPN Honolulu Rainbow Warrior play-by-play voice Tiff Wells with his six biggest takeaways from the previous week for the Bows

1 – Another Curveball Thrown. Late in match two at CSUN, UH opposite Kristian Titriyski went down with a right ankle injury. He’s been out ever since and his status continues to be “day-to-day” as we now move into the third part of the schedule…tournament play. The Rainbow Warriors continue to shuffle both Finn Kearney and Kainoa Wade in and out of that right side position as UH “threw the kitchen sink” at Long Beach and emerged with a series split. As we made our way to Santa Barbara to begin the final week of conference play, we learned that Louis Sakanoko would be unavailable. He was ruled out for the series and left on the island with a lower leg injury just when Clay Wieter was medically cleared and returned to active status. Kearney scored double-digit kills on both nights (22 total), as did Adrien Roure (27 total). With Sakanoko out, UH finished the season with four different starting lineups and multiple pin trios as UH went 2-2 in their final four matches. After holding on for the 4-set win on night one, the Bows were swept for just the second time this season after UC Santa Barbara started nearly a brand new lineup as most of their seniors helped to defeat UH for the first time since 2016, snapping a 20-match losing streak in the series. UH isn’t the only team battling injury this week as both Long Beach State and UC San Diego, along with UC Santa Barbara are handling some adversity as well. Who will be medically cleared this week? Will anyone be medically cleared this week? Stay tuned…

2 – No I In Team. Nearly five points per set are sitting on the bench as Kristian Titriyski continues to be out with his injury. Freshman Finn Kearney has stepped in and between playing both Outside Hitter and Opposite, he’s led the team in kills twice and tied for the match high one other time. While Adrien Roure has been a mainstay as a left side hitter, multiple first year guys (true freshman, first-year guys on the roster or first year starters) have continued to round out the starting lineup. One night it’s Kearney as the team leader, another night it’s Roure. Kurt Nusterer has also upped his production, both offensively and defensively. Kainoa Wade has filled in at times on the right side as well. Every match it’s someone different stepping up. No night in the Big West has been easy for Hawai`i en route to a 7-3 record and second-place finish. The sum of the parts making up this 19-player roster found a way to earn the important Quarterfinal bye in the Hawaiian Islands presents the 2025 Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championships. Mainstays in the lineup have included Tread Rosenthal (Setter), `Eleu Choy (Libero), Roure (Outside) and Nusterer (Middle) as the Bows have relied on one another and not just one player these last two weeks. They will need each other now more than ever as we enter postseason play.

3 – Key Service Runs On Night 1. It may not look that important and doesn’t show in the box score (unless you look at the match play-by-play), but one of the biggest service turns came in the first match during Set 2.  In a set where UH trailed by as many as 12, a 7-0 run by Tread Rosenthal cut the deficit to 5 and forced UCSB to call for both timeouts. Even though UH lost the set by a half dozen, the Bows had battled back from a double-digit deficit and took some of the momentum away from the Gauchos. UH would later win Sets 3 and 4 to win the match 3-1. Also key was a major serving by Kainoa Wade. After three kills through the first two sets, he didn’t start the final two sets. Not pouting nor upset for being pulled, Wade remained engaged in the match and moved into a serving sub role. With the Bows down by three midway through Set 4, Wade came in off the bench and rattled off six points in a row and forced the Gauchos to call for time…twice. From down 3 to up 4, the clutch run by the freshman gave UH the cushion it needed to win the set…and the match. Kai Taylor also came in late in the fourth set to quiet some of the hecklers as his ace helped to put the match on ice. Serving subs will continue to be key…whomever they are…during the postseason.

4 – Goldman Kurt. For Kurt Nusterer, nearly everything he’s attacked has turned to gold over the last three matches. In that span, Nusterer has put down 24 kills on 32 errorless swings for a percentage of .746. The Columbus, Indiana native continues to remain a key piece in a middle position that has seen some turnover as the right combination has changed from match to match. The chess master has been attacking the floor like he does the chessboard while the opposing blockers have been unable to put him in check. The redshirt junior has opted to forgo his senior season and head to Los Angeles to enter the job force for Goldman Sachs. This will be the final week to see those fiery celebrations on the teraflex here at home as UH will begin the conference tournament in Friday’s featured semifinal. If the Rainbow Warriors can continue to do well enough in serve receive, don’t be surprised if the one known as Kurt Diesel continues to fill it up offensively in this, his final season as a Rainbow Warrior.

5 – No Seniorits. It’s the final go around for five Hawai`i seniors and it’s been quite noticeable that they have upped their intensity and production as their time wearing the Green H and Tapa trim is coming to a close. Down in the match by a set twice on senior night to Long Beach State, UH found a way to send out the seniors with a resounding five set victory. From the choreographed celebrations by the bench mob to Zach Thompson and Kawai Hong telling those on the floor what they see while watching the match, Clay Wieter providing support as a veteran Outside Hitter and adding a little bit of relief in serve receive, to the relentless energy and passion from `Eleu Choy and the stopper in the middle that is Kurt Nusterer, these five seniors have been doing whatever they can to help get the team to this 24-5 regular season. Nothing is guaranteed when it comes to postseason play and even with a bye into the conference tournament semifinal round, the best way to guarantee that you keep playing…is to win. Win out and leave no doubt, leave nothing in the hands of a committee and take the Big West Conference’s Automatic Qualifying bid by winning the conference tournament. It’s one final season for the seniors and they want to take at least one more step than #WarriorBall24. To do so, leaving it all on the court and playing desperately, doing whatever it takes to survive…and advance and pass “your final exams.”

6 – Get Your Popcorn. UC Irvine swept Long Beach State at LBSU. The Beach returned the favor, beating UCI 3-0 in their facility. CSUN beat UC San Diego twice, both in 5 sets. Finishing as the 5-seed, the Matadors swept Hawai`i, hitting over .500 in the process. Despite finishing as the 6-seed, UCSB went with nearly a brand new lineup on night two against UH and beat them 3-0. UC Irvine was taken to 5 sets by the Gauchos in Santa Barbara. The deepest conference in the country, the Big West has not disappointed in providing really tough matchups all conference season. On any given night, any team has an opportunity. The predictability of the Big West this season has been its unpredictability. Nothing has been easy as all six teams are ranked in the Top 18. To win the tournament and the accompanying automatic bid into the NCAAs, one must win two matches in two days (such is the case for LBSU and UH) or win three in three days (UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and CSUN). Even seeds four through six were finalized after figuring out a three-way tie as the Tritons, Gauchos and Matadors all finished 3-7 in the Big West. You got to have dudes and just like when you hit the playoff round in fantasy sports, you start your studs. Which studs will be able to play, which will still be ruled out? Long Beach arguably has the best player in the country (but also has a starter that is day-to-day), Hawai`i is hosting the conference tournament again (but has two starters that are day to day as well), UC Irvine has the reigning National Player of the Year who just happens to be one of the best servers of all time, UC San Diego has an opposite (status day-to-day however) that has an ability to take over a match, UC Santa Barbara also has a couple of go-to guys that are highly recruited and one that has performed well when given a chance to play (which lineup will the Gauchos roll out on Quarterfinal Thursday) and even though seeded sixth, CSUN has an opposite who can take over a match with a crafty setter to run the offense. Welcome to the island. Welcome to The Hawaiian Islands presents the 2025 Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championship. Five matches. Three days. One Automatic Qualifying bid at stake for a chance to play in the National College Men’s Volleyball Championship. The goal is to get to Columbus, Ohio. To do that, one must emerge from the island with that BWC automatic bid. Get your tickets and see you at the arena.