Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Fourth-ranked Hawai`i utilized a big block to hold off No. 5 Cal State Northridge in five games 30-25, 30-20, 29-31, 18-30, 15-11 tonight at The Matadome.

With the win, the Warriors improve to 8-4 overall and 6-3 in the MPSF, while the Matadors drop to 8-6 overall and 4-5 in conference play.

Hawai`i outblocked the Matadors 18.0 to 12.5, led by Dio Dante's nine total snuffs. Maulia La Barre added seven blocks and Brian Beckwith contributed six.

Junior Dan Rhodes led Northridge with 18 kills, but hit just .120 in the match. Senior Cary Hanson also reached double figures in kills with 12 (.250), while James Lischer and Eric Vance added nine kills apiece off the bench. Vance also recorded a match-high 12 digs for the Matadors and Brian Waite added eight kills and six blocks. Setter Travis Bluemling posted 56 assists and seven digs for Northridge, which hit .232 (63-28-151) as a team.

For Hawai`i, Jose Delgado led the way with 20 kills (.292) while Lauri Hakala added 16 kills (.219) and Matt Carere chipped in 13 (. 212). Carere also posted 11 digs to notch the double-double while All-American libero Alfred Reft had tied for the match-high with 12 digs. La Barre had nine kills and seven blocks and Dante added eight kills to go with a match-high nine blocks (one solo). Setter Beckwith had 54 assists for the Warriors, who hit .296 (71-26-152) as a team.

The first two games Hawai`i jumped out to significant leads. The Warriors rattled off an 8-3 lead in game one before Northridge closed to 8-6 on a Rhodes ace. But the Matadors would get no closer than three the rest of the way in the opening frame.

Game 2 followed the same pattern as Hawai`i bolted to an 8-1 lead on a Hakala kill and never looked back. Northridge did score five of the next six points to get within 9-6, but the Warrior lead was never in danger after Hawai`i answered with a 9-4 run over the next 13 points.

Game 3 turned out to be the best of the match as Northridge again trailed, this time by as many as five (13-8), before asserting themselves. The Matadors took their first lead of the match at 15-14 after a Hakala hitting error and the Matadors would hold the lead until 22-22.

The Warriors regained the lead on a Rhodes error, and they would hold it until 27-26. Back-to-back kills from Lischer and Vance gave Northridge a 28-27 lead and despite the game being tied twice more (the last at 29-29), the Matadors got back-to-back kills from Hanson sending the match to a fourth game.

Game 4 was all Northridge as the Matadors were the ones to gain the early lead, this time at 11-3 forcing a Hawai`i timeout. Northridge pushed the lead to double-digits at 20-10 on a Carere error and cruised home with a 30-18 win.

In the decisive fifth game, the Matadors took an early 4-2 lead before Hawai`i answered with four-straight points. The score was knotted twice more (the last at 8-8) before the Warriors won three straight points to take a mini break they would not surrender. Northridge got within 12-10 but could get no closer falling 15-11.

Cal State Northridge and Hawai`i close out the two-match series on Saturday a 11 a.m. in The Matadome.