Match Notes

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team returns to the Stan Sheriff Center this week for a pair of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation matches against No. 2 Cal State Northridge, Friday, Jan. 30 and Saturday, Jan. 31. First serve for both matches is 7:00 p.m.

The No. 12 Warriors (1-6, 0-4 MPSF) are currently in the midst of a six-match losing streak, including dropping both matches to Brigham Young last week in Provo, Utah. The six-match skid is tied for the second longest in school history (record is 7 in 1991 and 2007). The Warriors are looking to snap a slide of nine losses in their last 10 league matches dating back to last season.

The Matadors (6-0, 3-0 MPSF), off to the best start in school history, won their only match and home opener last week against UC Santa Barbara, 30-21, 30-25, 30-27. CSUN opened the season by winning the UCSB/Elephant Bar Championship with victories over UCLA, UCSB and Stanford. 

Overall, the Warriors have dominated the series between the teams, 39-14. CSUN swept the season series last season in Northridge, Calif., but the Warriors have won five straight over the Matadors at the Stan Sheriff Center.

What: No. 12 Hawai'i (1-6, 0-4 MPSF) vs. No. 2 Cal State Northridge (6-0, 3-0 MPSF)

When: Friday, Jan. 30 and Saturday, Jan. 31

Time: 7:00 p.m. HST each night

Where: Stan Sheriff Center; Honolulu, HI

Television Coverage: KFVE-TV (Ch. 5) will televise both matches live with Jim Leahey (play-by-play) and Chris McLachlin (color). Rebroadcast at 10:30 p.m. each night.

Streaming Video: Live video streaming is available on uhstreaming.oceanic.com.

Radio Coverage: ESPN 1420 is broadcasting all UH matches live with Scott Robbs calling the action.

Audio Webcast: Live audio streaming on espn1420am.com

Live Stats: Live stats of both matches are available on HawaiiAthletics.com

Promotions: “Season Ticket Holder Night.” Season-ticket holders in all UH sports receive 50% off tickets (maximum of eight). Tickets can be purchased at the Stan Sheriff Center Box Office or on game night. Advance purchases are encouraged. Tickets are in special sections and supplies are limited. Other restrictions may apply. 

Tickets: Lower-level $11; Upper-level adult $8, Upper-level senior citizen $7; Upper-level youth tickets (high school and under) $3. All UH system students with valid ID are FREE.

Series History: UH leads 39-14. The Matadors swept the season series in Northridge last season. UH has won five straight over CSUN in Honolulu.

 

The Warriors are celebrating their 50th season of men's volleyball in 2009. The inaugural 1958-59 Rainbows participated as a club team and featured six players and head coach Jerry Bruhn. The men's volleyball program officially began as an intercollegiate sport in 1979 with current UH women's volleyball coach Dave Shoji heading both the men's and women's programs. The men's program has compiled a 496-265 record in 30 varsity seasons and has participated in postseason play 21 times. UH advanced to the NCAA Championship in 1995, '96 and 2002, the latter of which the Warriors captured the national title before it was later vacated. Head coach Mike Wilton has been at the helm of the program for the past 16 seasons and has posted a 307-149 record. He is the program's all-time winningest coach and two-time national coach of the year. He has guided UH to five Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Pacific Division titles, six Top 5 national finishes, and coached 14 All-Americans, including national players of the year Yuval Katz and Costas Theocharidis.

The Warriors' 1-6 record through the first seven matches is the slowest start to a season in the program's history. In 1991, UH was 2-5 through its first seven matches. Last season, UH started 1-4 before picking up its second win of the season. 

Over the past three matches, freshman Steven Hunt has been a force for the Warriors. The freshman from Toronto has 58 kills and is averaging 5.3 kills per set while hitting at a .333 clip during that span. He rebounded from his worst outing (8 kills, 9 errors, 32 attempts) as a Warrior with a 24-kill effort against Pepperdine on Jan. 16. Against BYU last week, he had 19 kills in the first match and 15 kills in the rematch. On the year, he is averaging a team-best 4.04 kills and 1.52 digs per set.

In addition to Steven Hunt, fellow true freshman Gus Tuaniga has been a spark for the Warriors in just his first season. One of the team's primary passers, Tuaniga is averaging 1.75 digs per set and lately has shown some punch offensively. During last week's two-match series with BYU, Tuaniga averaged 3.00 kills and hit .444. On night two, he blasted 10 kills with no errors in 20 swings.

After substituting as an outside hitter for parts of last season, Sean Carney returned to his natural position - setter - for the start of this season. Carney appeared in four matches as a hitter last season, including the regular season series finale at Pepperdine. The senior has started the team's first seven matches at setter this season and is averaging 11.76 assists per set and leads the team in digs with 66 (2.64). He also ranks second on the team in blocks with 22 (0.88).

Welcome to the Lineup
Senior outside hitter Jim Clar saw his first action of the season and senior libero Michael China made his first career start last week against BYU in Provo, Utah. Clar appeared in sets in the opener against the Cougars and tallied three kills and made the start in the rematch and pounded 11 kills along with nine digs and three blocks. China started the rematch in place of starter Ric Cervantes and finished with five digs and two assists.

Hawai'i holds a 214-109 (.663) all-time record in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation since the 1993 season, all under head coach Mike Wilton. UH posted one perfect season of 19-0 during the 1996 campaign and made 14-straight MPSF playoffs, until ending that streak last season when the Warriors finished below .500 in conference play for the first time under Wilton. 

In the preseason Bison/AVCA Division I-II Poll, the Warriors were picked 13th with 41 votes, the same spot they finished last season. Defending NCAA champion Penn State heads the Top 15 poll with 14 first place votes and 236 points followed by UCLA (219) and Pepperdine (205). Being ranked is nothing new to the Warriors who have graced the Top 15 rankings a total of 350 of a possible 352 times.

The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's 12 coaches picked the Warriors ninth in the preseason league poll. UH finished last season in ninth with an 8-14 mark, its lowest finish in the MPSF in school history. UCLA and Pepperdine were tied for the top spot with 104 votes followed by Long Beach State, Cal State Northridge, UC Irvine, USC, Stanford, Brigham Young, Hawai'i, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, and Pacific.

The Warriors have called the Stan Sheriff Center home since 1994 and it has provided a dominant home court advantage. UH has led the nation in attendance all 14 years and hold a 179-83 (.683) record including an impressive 107-38 (.738) mark in MPSF play.

Former Warrior Clay Stanley, who led the United States men's volleyball team to Olympic gold at the 2008 Games in Beijing, China, was one of four inductees in the UH Sports Circle of Honor. Stanley, a two-time Olympian, was selected as the tournament's Most Valuable Player as well as best scorer and best server. He was inducted in the Class of 2008 along with Olympian Heather Bown, former athletics director Ray Nagel, and multi-sport legend Jack Johnson.