NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – For the first time since 2012, the University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team dropped a two-match series to CSUN, falling in straight sets for the second straight night Friday at The Matadome. Set scores were 25-17, 25-22, 25-17.
 
The third-ranked Rainbow Warriors (13-5, 1-3 BWC) suffered their third straight defeat and fourth in their last eight matches after starting the season 9-1.
 
Outside hitter Stijn van Tilburg was the lone Rainbow Warrior in double-digit kills for the second straight night, finishing with 12 on .214 hitting. Outside hitter Austin Matautia added seven kills while middle blocker Patrick Gasman tallied four kills, and five blocks.
 
One night after allowing only two services aces to the nation's No. 3 serving team, UH surrendered eight aces, including six by Dimitar Kalchev, five of which occurred in the third set. Arvis Greene led the Matadors (12-7, 2-2) for the second straight night with 14 kills and five blocks.
 
UH led 7-4 early in Set 1 before giving it right back as the Matadors used a 7-1 run, capped by Kalchev's first ace, to build an insurmountable 14-8 lead. The Warriors rallied to within 21-16 after an ace by Brett Rosenmeier but back-to-back kills by Greene gave the Matadors set point. A Dalton Solbrig hitting error gave CSUN the set.
 
The Warriors trailed from the start in Set 2 and closed to within 22-19 after a Gasman/Rosenmeier double-block on Greene. UH erased two set points with a kill by van Tilburg and solo block by Solbrig but the Matadors took the set with a kill by Kalchev.
 
CSUN scored the first seven points of Set 3 – four by way of Kalchev aces. The Warriors got as close as five at 13-8 after consecutive blocks and later 22-17 after an ace by Gasman. But another Kalchev ace gave the Matadors match point and Larry Tuileta's hitting error ended the match.
 
The Warriors continue their road trip with a non-conference match at Pepperdine, Sunday at 5:00 p.m. PT (2:00 p.m. HT) at Firestone Fieldhouse.