Box Score

IRVINE, Calif. – The 10^th-ranked University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team could not overcome a two sets to none deficit in a four-set loss to UC Irvine, Monday in the first of two Mountain Pacific Sports Federation matches at the Bren Events Center. Set scores were 25-22, 26-24, 21-25, and 26-24.

 

In yet another close MPSF loss in which two sets went to deuce games, the Warriors (6-8, 4-5 MPSF) dropped to 1-2 on their current four-match road trip. The two teams meet again Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. at the Bren Center.

 

Hawai'i was led once again by All-American opposite Jonas Umlauft with 19 kills and a career-high 10 digs. During the current road trip, Umlauft has 48 kills with a 4.80 kill average and .299 hitting percentage.

 

Outside hitters Joshua Walker (12) and Steven Hunt (10) were also in double figures and helped the Warriors to a team hitting percentage of .317. Middle blockers Brennon Dyer (8) and Jarrod Lofy (6) combined for 14 kills with only one error in 24 attempts.

 

In contrast, the seventh-ranked Anteaters (9-8, 6-5) hit .438 as a team with three outside hitters combining for 57 of the team's 66 kills. The trio – Carson Clark (22), Jordan DuFault (20) and Cory Yoder (15) – hit an amazing .434 and committed only eight errors in 113 kill attempts.

 

Despite UCI's effective hitting, the Warriors kept it close at the service line, where they recorded eight services aces – three each by Umlauft and Walker. UH committed only nine errors while the Anteaters more than doubled that total with 20 errors. Two of UCI's five aces were by DuFault at the end of Set 2 which gave the Anteaters a 26-24 victory and two set cushion.

 

The Warriors forced a fourth set after surging to a 16-9 lead in Set 3 jump-started by consecutive aces by Umlauft. The Anteaters led 12-6 in Set 4 and held off a furious Warrior rally, while fending off four match points at 24-20 before UCI closed out the match with back-to-back kills by Yoder.