HONOLULU—The third time was the charm as the University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team defeated defending NCAA and Big West champion, Long Beach State in five sets to capture its first Big West Tournament title. UH outlasted the Beach in five sets, 25-15, 25-23, 22-25, 20-25, 15-8 in front of a sold-out Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday night.

Senior outside hitter Stijn van Tilburg led Hawai'i with a match-high 25 kills en route to tournament Most Valuable Player honors. With the win, Hawai'i receives the Big West Conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament which begins in two weeks at Long Beach State's Walter Pyramid.
 
Van Tilburg hit .543 on the night with zero attack errors in 46 attacks. He also recorded one service ace, two digs and two blocks in the match. Six of his 25 kills occurred in the fifth set alone.
 
Junior outside hitter Colton Cowell came through with a huge night for the Rainbow Warriors (27-2) as he recorded his first double-double with career-highs of 18 kills and 12 digs (match-high). He hit .471 with just two errors in 34 swings and also added a service ace and three blocks. Senior setter Joe Worsley tied his career-high with a match-high 59 assists. He also contributed four digs and was in on two blocks.  
 
Although junior opposite Rado Parapunov struggled at the pins, hitting his lowest percentage of the season, he found other ways to contribute as he rejected a match-high five total blocks (one solo) and a team-high two service aces.

UH went on a 5-to-1 run to jump out to a 5-2 lead in the first set. Later, the Warriors went on a 4-to-1 run punctuated by Cowell's fourth kill of the frame that gave UH a 13-8 lead and forced LBSU to call an early timeout. The Warriors pulled away down the stretch, winning six of the final seven points to take Set 1, 25-15.

In the second set, the score was tied five times early in the set before UH was able to inch ahead for an early lead. But the Beach was able to catch UH with three unanswered that knotted the score at 13-13. LBSU took its first lead of the set at 16-15 but the 'Bows would fight their way back to re-take the lead at 19-18 on a solo block by van Tilburg. LBSU see-sawed back into the lead at 20-19 which forced UH to call a timeout. With the score tied at 21-21, LBSU attack sailed wide and they challenged a net call not called on UH. But the call was confirmed which gave the 'Bows a 22-21 lead. Hawai'i would go on to score five of the last seven points as they held off the Beach to take Set 2, 25-23 on Cowell's ninth kill of the match.
 
Long Beach State started the third set on a roll, jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead. But the 'Bows responded and caught the Beach at 7-7. After a few side-outs, the 49ers who would gain traction to build a three-point lead from which UH could not recover from as the Beach held off the 'Bows to win Set 3, 25-22.
 
The fourth set was close early on, but LBSU hit the 15-point mark with a one-point lead at the media timeout. They kept things rolling to extend their lead to four at 19-15. UH rallied to trail by one point at 19-18, but the Beach turned on the afterburners as they scored the last three-straight points to coast to a 25-20 win to force a fifth set.

Hawai'i led the fifth set from wire-to-wire. A solo block by Cowell gave UH a 7-3 lead. Later Cowell wiped a 50-50 ball off the block to give UH an 8-4 lead at the switch over. UH finished the fifth set winning six of the last eight points to seal the champhionship, 15-8.

LBSU's Kyle Ensing recorded a team-high 21 kills and a match-high three service aces, while setter Josh Tuaniga dished out 52 assists. Simon Andersen tallied a team-high four blocks.
 
The UH win extended its home winning-streak to 17.

The Rainbow Warriors will be watching the NCAA Selection Show to find out their opening opponent on Sunday, April 21 at 7 a.m. HT.