Box Score

HONOLULU - The top-ranked Warrior volleyball team remained unbeaten and opened their Mountain Pacific Sports Federation season with a victory, riding standout performances by senior outside hitters Tony Ching and Costas Theocharidis to hold off No. 11 Stanford, 30-28, 30-27, 27-30, 30-28, at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Ching, a 6-foot-2 local product from Honolulu, had a career-high 20 kills in the win, committing just five errors in 31 attempts for a .484 attack percentage on the night. The 2002 NCAA Final Four all-tournament team pick also posted a match-high 12 digs, to record his first double-double performance of the year.

Theocharidis posted a match-high 26 kills, including eight in game two and 11 in game four, to post the 40th, 20-plus kill outing of his All-American career. Theocharidis took 44 swings, attacking at a .455 clip.

Hawaii junior Joshua Stanhiser added 10 kills on a .571 attack percentage to record his second double-digit kill total. Fellow middle Delano Thomas had a team-high six blocks and seven kills.

Ching was the difference in game one, leading all attackers with six kills in seven attempts to the tune of a .714 attack percentage. Ching committed just one error, as Hawaii out hit Stanford, .406 to .316. The Cardinal led as late as 20-19, before Warrior serving specialist Matt Bender entered and helped spark Hawaii to consecutive points and a 21-20 advantage.

The Cardinal seemed to have control of the second game, leading 27-23 going into the homestretch of the frame. But spirited play from a number of Warriors helped the defending national champions surge back and topple Stanford for the two game lead. After Hawaii had hustled for consecutive points to make it 27-25, Stanford, Warrior middle Stanhiser put down back-to-back kills to help his squad pull even with the Cardinal. Following a Stanford timeout, All-American Theocharidis roofed a Cardinal attacker for a block solo, and then Ching recorded his sixth service ace of the young season to give Hawaii the come from behind victory, 30-27. Theocharidis took over in game two, with eight kills on 13 attempts.

In game three Stanford turned the tide on the Warriors, putting forth a come from behind effort of their own to push the contest into a fourth game, as Hawaii was unable to overcome late Cardinal heroics and a .486 Stanford attack percentage. Hawaii held a 25-21 lead before Stanford made its run. After exchanging points with the Warriors, Stanford seized the momentum with outside hitter Billy Strickland serving, Stanford ripped off four consecutive points to move out to a commanding, 29-26 lead. Hawaii grabbed a couple of points on kills by Ching to pull within two, at 29-27.

Theocharidis carried the offensive load again in the fourth and final frame, drilling 11 kills in 14 swings to lift Hawaii to 5-0 on the season. Ching added six kills of his own, including the match point, to help Hawaii claim their eighth consecutive win against Stanford, dating back to the 1999 season.

The Warriors and Cardinal will take to the court in their series finale on Friday, Jan. 24, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Stan Sheriff Center.