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IRVINE, Calif. – The No. 6 University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team upset  No. 4 UC Irvine, 25-22, 25-19, 24-26, 26-24, Friday night at the Bren Center, ending an 11-match losing streak to the Anteaters. UH split the conference road-series 1-1, advancing to a 6-2, 3-1 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Record.

Senior opposite Brook Sedore led the Rainbow Warriors with a match-high 18 kills, with Taylor Averill hitting at .522 (14-2-23) right behind. Additionally, junior libero Kolby Kanetake matched his career-high 15 digs and recorded a new career-high five assists. UCI (9-3, 4-2 MPSF) was headed by Zack La Cavera, Tamir Hershko, and Jason Agopian, with 15, 13, and 12 kills, respectively.

The Rainbow Warriors spent most of Set 1 on the Anteaters' tail, not straying behind by more than three points. Following back-to-back service aces by sophomore Kupono Fey, assisted by two UCI errors and a kill by Sedore, UH broke away with a 5-0 run to steal the lead 22-20. In the end, the 'Eaters fell short 25-22, handing over two points to the 'Bows due to service errors, with Zach Radner dishing out his first career kill when it mattered most in the final stretch.

The Warriors led by as many as six points to start off Set 2, however, UCI was quick to answer back, going on a 9-4 scoring run with back-to-back kills by La Cavera to cut UH's lead down 15-14. However, it wasn't enough to pull through as the 'Bows ignited four-unanswered points to break away and win the second set, 25-19.

The 'Bows started out with a 14-10 lead midway through Set 3 after Averill pounded down three kills in a row, topped off by a service ace by Sedore. UH held a steady lead to follow, until UCI's Kyle Russell pulled off back-to-back kills, initiating a 6-1 advantage over the 'Bows to come back from behind for a 26-24 win.

Following a 5-1 run, the Anteaters footed a 15-11 lead in Set 4 and had the 'Bows playing catch-up all the way up until a UCI attack-error forced an 18-18 tie. With kills by Sinisa Zarkovic (10 kills), Fey and Sedore, UH would tie it four more times to follow before Averill and Fey's crucial double-block finally gave the Warriors the lead, 24-23. UCI answered back right away, tying the score 24-24, but buckled under pressure committing two more errors, giving away Set 4 to UH. Fey's final block gave the outside hitter a new career-high of four total-blocks.

Next, the Rainbow Warriors return home to host No. 2 USC, Feb. 4 and Feb. 6 at the Stan Sheriff Center. UH leads the all-time series against the Trojans, 39-35 dating back to 1981. Last season, the Warriors lost the series in Los Angeles, but swept in 2013 when they hosted the Trojans in Honolulu.