Box Score

PROVO, Utah – The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team took No. 3 Brigham Young to the limit before falling in five, Friday night in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match at Smith Fieldhouse. Set scores were 25-19, 26-28, 23-25, 25-23, and 15-13.

 

Heading into the pivotal two-match series with the Cougars, the Warriors (12-11, 10-8 MPSF) were riding a six-match win streak. However, UH left with consecutive losses and its eighth straight defeat to the Cougars in Provo.

 

In the loss, All-American opposite Jonas Umlauft became the 13^th player in school history to record 1,000 career kills. Umlauft accomplished the feat in the second set and finished the match with a match-high 28 kills. The sophomore is just the third Warrior to reach that milestone in just his second season.

It was a complete turnaround for the Warriors in the rematch as UH hit .323 for the match and had 10 blocks. BYU (16-7, 12-6), the nation's leader in blocking, finished with 13 and hit .387.

 

Robb Stowell led four Cougars in double figure kills with 26. Taylor Sander added 17 while Futi Tavana, a Kaua'i High School graduate, had 13 kills and six blocks.

 

Much like the start of Thursday's match, the Warriors found themselves down early in Set 1, 7-3 and 10-5. UH battled back to within 13-11 during a four-point spurt but the Cougars answered with a 4-1 run for an 18-13 lead and the Warriors never threatened the rest of the way.

 

In Set 2, the Warriors matched kill for kill with BYU but still trailed 13-10. UH tied it at 17 after a solo block by reserve Scott Hartley and took its first lead at 21-20 following a block by Welch.and Sam Biscaro. Umlauft's 10^th kill gave Hawai'i set point and his next one gave UH the set at 28-26.

 

 BYU started Set 3 with a 4-1 lead before tying it at 6. Following three straight BYU hitting errors, UH led 16-14. The Cougars scored four straight for a 20-18 lead. But the Warriors rallied and had two set points following a kill by Steven Hunt. After the Cougars stuffed Umlauft, Sander served out giving UH the 25-23 victory.

 

In the back-and-forth Set 4, the Warriors led 17-14 after a kill by Walker and BYU hitting error. The Cougars tied it at 18 after stuffing Umlauft and took a one-point lead with a kill by Sander. Down 20-19, BYU scored three straight, capped by an ace by Sander, for a 22-20 lead. Sander's 15^th kill gave BYU set point and Stowell ended it, sending the match to a fifth set.

 

The teams traded blows in the deciding set until Tavana stuffed Umlauft for a 6-4 BYU lead. Umlauft's 26^th kill tied the score at 8 and Walker's kill gave UH a one-point lead. Moments later, consecutive kills by Hunt and Umlauft gave UH a 13-12 lead. But Tavana took over with two kills and a block giving BYU the match.

 

The Warriors return to Honolulu to close out the regular season with two-match series against Cal State Northridge (April 1-2) and USC (April 8-9).