Box Score

HONOLULU - After over eight months of preparation for a run at a second consecutive NCAA title, the Warrior Volleyball team finally got to come out and play tonight, opening their 2003 season with a sweep of MIVA power Lewis, 30-17, 30-21, 30-22, behind an outstanding outings from Kimo Tuyay, Costas Theocharidis and Delano Thomas.

Tuyay, a junior setter from San Diego, Calif., keyed a Warrior attack which hit .551 with just seven attack errors in 78 total swings. Tuyay, the 2001 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Newcomer of the Year, registered 43 assists as three Warrior starters posted double-digit kill totals.

Senior All-American Costas Theocharidis led all attackers with 14 kills while committing no attack errors to craft a .700 attack percentage. Last year the school's all-time kills leader picked-up where he left off last season, when he topped the Warriors in kills in 28 of their 32 contests.

Sophomore middle Delano Thomas enjoyed perhaps the most dominant all-around performance of the evening, hitting a match-high .733 with 12 kills in 15 swings, while also leading all players with four blocks.

Senior outside hitters Eyal Zimet and Tony Ching were also solid, combining to record 19 kills while committing only four errors. Ching also led all players with 10 digs.

Junior libero Jake Muise played very well in his first starting nod at libero. The energetic Halifax, Nova Scotia native covered much ground while recording nine digs.

The Warriors opened the contest by dominating the visiting Flyers, 30-17. Hawaii setter Tuyay kept the "Men of War" firing on all cylinders to register a .636 team attack percentage with just one error in 22 swings in game one. Theocharidis set the tone early, recording five kills with no errors in seven swings to hit .714. Thomas matched Theocharidis with five kills while hitting .833 with a game-high three blocks.

Game two saw Hawaii continue its hot-hitting ways from the first set, as Tuyay helped his team out hit Lewis, .500-to-.107 and go up two games to none, 30-21. Hawaii exhibited its depth in the second game, as team captain Zimet stepped forward to hammer five kills in the second frame. Thomas proved to be the most dangerous attacker through the match's first two games, leading all players with nine kills with no errors in 10 attempts for a .900 attack percentage.

Lewis played their best ball of the night in the third and final game, hitting .353 with a match-best four attack errors. But the "Men of War" proved too much, posting a .531 attack percentage themselves to win their season opener for their 22nd win in 25 years.

The Warriors and Flyers conclude their non-conference series on Friday, Jan. 10, with another match at the Stan Sheriff Center.