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Jennings Franciskovic & Taylor Averill block vs Pepperdine MPSF Semifinals

Men's Volleyball

Men’s Volleyball Eliminated From MPSF Tourney; Falls To Pepperdine

Box Score |  Box Score (html) | VIDEO: Highlights courtesy of OCSports TV |
VIDEO: Post-Match Press Conference (C. Wade, T. Averill, A. Jones)

IRVINE, Calif. – The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team saw its Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title run come to an end with a four-set loss to third-seeded Pepperdine, Thursday in the first of two Mountain Pacific Sports Federation semifinal matches at the Bren Center. Set scores were 21-25, 25-22, 26-24, 25-16.
 
Making their first MPSF semifinal appearance since 2010, the Rainbow Warriors (24-6) were seeking their first league tournament title but instead were dealt with their third straight loss away from home. UH will now await its postseason fate and if it will receive one of two at-large bids to the NCAA Championship. With top-seeded UC Irvine defeating USC, 3-2, the 'Bows await the outcome of the conference championship in hopes of the Anteaters winning it all as their best chance at claiming one of the at-large bids. UCI faces Pepperdine Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.  
 
The Waves (24-5), who avenged two earlier losses to UH in Honolulu, advance to the championship match where they will meet the winner of top-seeded UC Irvine and fourth-seeded USC.
 
Josh Taylor finished with a match-high 22 kills, hitting .417 to lead Pepperdine. Parker Kalmbach added 14 kills, seven digs, and five blocks. The Waves hit .282 as a team and totaled 14 blocks.
 
Junior Sinisa Zarkovic led the 'Bows with 14 kills and seven digs while Kupono Fey added 11 kills and nine digs. All-American middle blocker Taylor Averill was held to seven kills, hitting .235 and four blocks while Brook Sedore hit .160 with eight kills. UH hit .186 as a team.
 
In a tightly-contested first set, the Warriors gained separation after a kill by Zarkovic and a double block by Davis Holt and Jennings Franciskovic for a 19-16 lead. Super-sub Alex Jones entered the game with UH leading 20-17 and Hawai'i immediately scored a natural point for a four-point cushion. From that point, Fey took over, scoring UH's next three points with kills and Sedore ended it for a 25-21 victory. Fey finished with seven kills in 12 swings in the set.
 
UH jumped out to an early 6-3 lead in Set 2 before the Waves reeled off six of the next eight points for their first lead of the match at 9-8. Pepperdine pushed its lead to 15-12 at the media timeout and maintained that advantage until the Warriors closed to within one on two separate occasions at 21-20 and 22-21. But that would be as close as they would get as the Waves closed out the set by scoring three of the final four points to even the match.
 
Trailing 15-13 in Set 3, the Warriors used a 6-1 run – including four straight – to take their largest lead at 19-16. Pepperdine pulled to within 22-21 following back-to-back points and tied it at 23 after two more kills by Taylor.  UH had one set point, which the Waves erased with Taylor's third straight kill and his fourth gave Pepperdine set point at 25-24. On the next play, Zarkovic hit long. Taylor finished with nine kills in the set.
 
The Waves fell behind 14-10 in Set 4 after the Waves strung together three straight.  Pepperdine increased its lead to 18-13 after back-to-back kills by Matt Tarantino and cruised to a 25-15 victory, ending the set on a 9-3 run.
 
 
#HawaiiMVB
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Taylor Averill

#13 Taylor Averill

MB
6' 7"
Redshirt Senior
Kupono Fey

#21 Kupono Fey

OH
6' 5"
Sophomore
Jennings Franciskovic

#10 Jennings Franciskovic

S
6' 5"
Sophomore
Davis Holt

#24 Davis Holt

MB
6' 9"
Senior
Brook Sedore

#11 Brook Sedore

OPP
6' 5"
Senior
Sinisa Zarkovic

#16 Sinisa Zarkovic

OH
6' 4"
Junior
Alex Jones

#7 Alex Jones

S
6' 4"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Taylor Averill

#13 Taylor Averill

6' 7"
Redshirt Senior
MB
Kupono Fey

#21 Kupono Fey

6' 5"
Sophomore
OH
Jennings Franciskovic

#10 Jennings Franciskovic

6' 5"
Sophomore
S
Davis Holt

#24 Davis Holt

6' 9"
Senior
MB
Brook Sedore

#11 Brook Sedore

6' 5"
Senior
OPP
Sinisa Zarkovic

#16 Sinisa Zarkovic

6' 4"
Junior
OH
Alex Jones

#7 Alex Jones

6' 4"
Senior
S