Box Score
HONOLULU - The second-ranked "Men of War" rode the setting of junior setter
Kimo Tuyay to head a multifaceted offensive assault to defeat No. 12 Loyola-Chicago tonight, 30-25, 30-25, 30-22, in a non-conference match-up at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Tuyay, a two-time All-MPSF honorable mention pick from San Diego, Calif., dished-out 53 assists to spark the Warriors to a .377 hitting percentage, posting his 10th 50-assist effort of 2003.
Reigning American Volleyball Coaches Association national Player of the Week Costas Theocharidis led four Warriors with double-digit kills with 18 in 37 swings. The three-time All-American posted a .351 attack percentage to move within 10 kills of becoming the school's first-ever 2,000 kill performer.
Fellow senior Tony Ching recorded a double-double, adding a match-high 14 digs to his 12 kills. Eyal Zimet enjoyed another fine all-around effort, posting 10 kills on a .304 attack percentage, two service aces and five blocks.
Senior middle blocker Brian Nordberg posted a team-high four blocks while also recording seven kills on a .500 hitting percentage. Nordberg's partner in the middle, sophomore Delano Thomas, crushed 12 kills with no errors in 16 swings for a .750 attack percentage. The Sacramento, Calif. native also displayed a fine jump serve, with a match-high four points coming on service aces.
The Warriors utilized a well balanced attack in game one, with Theocharidis and Eyal Zimet topping the team with five kills and Delano Thomas and Brian Nordberg close behind with three apiece. Hawaii's .333 team attack percentage in the first set out did Loyola's .278 mark. Middle men Thomas and Nordberg dominated at the net, posting identical .750 attack percentages, with three kills in four swings. Senior hitters Theocharidis and Zimet both put down five kills in 10 attempts.
Theocharidis and Thomas remained hot in the second game, taking 23 of their team's 39 total swings. Theocharidis recorded a game-high nine kills in 17 attempts, while Thomas remained errorless, with five kills in eight attempts. The Ramblers stuck with the national champions until late in the game, leading as late as the 20-19 mark. With the game tied at 22, Hawaii went on a three point run to gain a little breathing room, using a Nordberg block, a Zimet service ace and a Ching kill to stretch out to a 25-22 advantage. Ching's kill seemed to take the wind out of Loyola's sails. A Rambler attacker ripped an attack toward setter Kimo Tuyay, who stuck out his left arm and clipped the ball toward the back of the arena floor. Zimet ran onto the ball and got his right foot under it to kick it straight up into the air. Tuyay remained with the play and sent a diving bump pass back over to Loyola's side of the net. Ching out-dueled a Loyola player in a joust at the net to record the crucial point. From there Hawaii out-scored their visitors from the Midwest 5-to-3, with three of those points coming on kills by Ching.
The Warriors kept rolling in the third and final game, out hitting the Ramblers, .385-to-.154, as a handful of Hawaii attackers put a cap on outstanding performances. Ching added five kills, while Theocharidis and Thomas chimed-in with four more kills each, and Nordberg and Zimet added three apiece. The back breaker of the final game came when the Warriors went on a three-point run to extend to a seven point lead near the home stretch. A Zimet kill and consecutive service aces by Thomas gave Hawaii the 25-18 edge.
The Warriors and Loyola will conclude their non-conference series on Friday, at 7:00 p.m. in the Stan Sheriff Center.
