Match Notes

The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team will conclude the 2012 season with a pair of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation matches at defending NCAA runner-up UC Santa Barbara, Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7 at the Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, Calif. First serve for both matches is 7:00 p.m. PT (4:00 p.m. HT).
 
The 14th-ranked Warriors (7-18, 4-16 MPSF) were eliminated from the MPSF Tournament following a two-match sweep by Long Beach State last week and will not participate in postseason play for the first time in three seasons under head coach Charlie Wade. UH has been in a tailspin since mid-February, losing 13 of its last 14 matches and have tied the single-season school-record for losses with 18.
 
UH enters this week's series having lost six consecutive matches since defeating then-No. 3 Stanford in four sets on March 7.
 
The Gauchos (5-17, 3-15) also will not qualify for the MPSF Tournament. UCSB has lost its last eight matches, including the last four in straight sets. The team's last win was a five-setter over Brigham Young, Feb. 25, in Provo, Utah.
 
Matches #26 & #27
Who: No. 14 Hawai'i (7-18, 4-16 MPSF) vs. UC Santa Barbara (5-17, 3-15 MPSF)
When: Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7
Time: 7:00 p.m. PT / 4:00 p.m. HT
Where: Thunderdome; Santa Barbara, Calif.
Television Coverage: None
Streaming Video: None
Radio Coverage: None
Audio Webcast: None
Live Stats: Available at UCSBGauchos.com
Series Information: UH leads the overall series 42-29. The teams have split the season series eight times in the past 11 years, including last season in Honolulu. UH swept the series in 2003 and the Gauchos won both matches during the 2007 and '08 seasons. In matches played in Santa Barbara, UH leads 14-13.
 
Last Meeting vs. UC Santa Barbara: The teams split the season series last season at the Stan Sheriff Center with UH winning the opener 18-25, 25-22, 25-22, 27-25. UH hit .351 as a team with Joshua Walker (18) and Jonas Umlauft (16) combining for 34 of the team's 51 kills. In the rematch, the Gauchos pulled out a tightly-contested 25-22, 25-23, 25-23 decision that could easily have gone the other way. UCSB held Umlauft in check as he tied for team-high honors with 11 kills but committed 10 errors in 30 attempts. Walker had 11 kills, five digs, and four blocks while Steven Hunt tallied 10 kills and five blocks.
 
Recapping Last week's LBSU Series: The Warriors dropped a pair of matches to Long Beach State, extending their home losing streak to a school-record eight straight. In Friday's match, UH faltered down the stretch in each set in losing 25-19, 25-22, 25-21. Steven Hunt led the Warriors with 18 kills while Harrison Carroll added 12 kills and eight digs. No other Warrior had more than three kills. On Saturday, the Beach rallied to win the first two sets late overcoming set point in each set. Carroll led the way with a career-high 19 kills while Hunt added 18 kills in his final home match.