Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Hawaii senior All-American middle blocker Dejan Miladinovic was the man of the hour for the “Men of War” tonight, recording a season-high12 blocks and seven kills on a .778 hitting percentage to lift his team to a three game sweep of ninth-ranked Cal State Northridge (30-23, 30-23, 30-20) and a spot in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play-offs, which begin in late April.

Miladinovic put-up a block solo and 11 block assists to help Hawaii post a season-best 20 team blocks on the evening, while also committing no errors in nine total attacks to record a match-high .778 attack percentage. The 6-foot-7 inch Serbian native posted 20 total blocks in two matches against the Matadors as the Warriors put-up 37.5 total team blocks in the series.

2001 national player of the year Costas Theocharidis recorded a match-high 17 kills, committing just two attacking errors in 36 swings to craft a .417 hitting percentage. On the week, the Orestiada, Greece native recorded 69 kills over four matches to help the Warriors go 3-1 on a crucial conference road trip. Theocharidis also put-up seven block assists on the match.

Freshman outside hitter Jose Delgado posted his fourth consecutive double-digit kill performance, slamming-down 10 kills on a .412 attack percentage while also getting-in on five block assists. Junior middle Brian Nordberg enjoyed another solid match, hitting .545 with seven kills and just one error in 11 total attempts while also putting his hands on four blocked balls.

Setter Kimo Tuyay helped the Warriors post a team .402 attack percentage, dishing-out 41 assists while allowing four starters to hit over .400 on the match. He also contributed four total bocks.

Junior Tony Ching, who returned to action for the first time in almost a month last night, recorded four kills with no errors in eight total swings to hit .500. For Ching, last night's appearance was his first since Hawaii's home loss to then-No. 12 Long Beach State on February 20.

Now 12-2 in MPSF play, the Warriors join top-ranked UCLA and Pepperdine in the league's post-season championship tournament. The nine remaining teams are still battling for the final five spots in the conference tourney.

The Warriors return home to the 50th state tomorrow morning, and will fly back to southern California this coming Wednesday to prepare for its crucial league series at Pepperdine, on Mar. 22 and 23.