IRVINE, Calif. – The top-seeded University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team moved one step closer to defending its Big West title with a straight set win over fourth-seeded UC Santa Barbara, Friday in the semifinals of the Big West Championship at the Bren Center. Set scores were 25-18, 25-19, 25-18.
 
The Rainbow Warriors (27-2) advanced to Saturday's championship match against either second-seeded Long Beach State or third-seeded and host UC Irvine. Match time is 7:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. HT) and the match will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
 
UH will play for its third Big West tournament title and will look to become the conference's first back-to-back tourney champion. With the win, the Warriors also extended their win streak over the Gauchos to 16 straight including all three match-ups this season. Hawai'i improved to 6-2 all-time in the Big West Championship tournament and is now 4-1 in the semifinal round to advance to the championship match four times. UH won the tournament title both in 2019 and '22.
 
Dimitrios Mouchlias led the UH attack with a match-high 12 kills, hitting .420. Chaz Galloway added nine kills in 13 errorless attempts to hit a match-high .692. Jakob Thelle recorded his first double-double of the season and fifth of his career with 26 assists and 12 digs. On match point, Thelle dealt his 121^st career service ace to tie the UH career record held by both Costas Theocharidis and Pedro Azenha. 
 
As a team, UH hit .394 for the match with four aces and 7.5 blocks. 

The Gauchos (8-17) were led by both Ben Coordt and Nick Amoruso who had six kills apiece while Dain Johnson was in on a team-high four blocks. Hawai'i held UCSB to just a .113 hitting percentage for the match.
 
UH gained the early advantage in Set 1 and led 11-6 after an ace by Mouchlias. Moments later, a kill by Mouchlias made it 18-12 and the Gauchos would not threaten the rest of the way. UH hit .632 in the opening frame as Mouchlias converted six of eight kill attempts.
 
In Set 2, UH jumped out to an 11-6 lead. The Warriors extended the cushion to seven at 21-14 after another kill by Mouchlias. The Gauchos closed to within four at 22-18. But a UCSB attacked error followed by a Kāna'i Akana ace and Spyros Chakas kill closed out the set.
 
UH fell behind early in Set 3 before Mouchlias went back to serve and gave the Warriors the lead back. Hawai'i had a three-point cushion before the Gauchos tied it at 11. The Warriors surged 20-16 after Akana's serving turn resulted in three straight points.