FAIRFAX, Va. – The Hawai'i men's volleyball team came up just short in its quest for a third straight national title, falling to top-seed UCLA in four sets Saturday in the NCAA Championship Match, 28-26, 21-33, 25-21, 25-21.
 
The Rainbow Warriors finished NCAA runner-up for the third time in program history after setting a school-record with 29 wins, making the national title match for the fourth consecutive year at 29-3 overall. UH also became the first program to appear in the championship match four years in a row since the Bruins from 1993-98.
 
Dimitrios Mouchlias led the way for Hawai'i, finishing with 18 kills on 45 swings while adding six digs. He was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team after hitting .315 with 43 total kills between the two matches. Jakob Thelle joined Mouchlias on the all-tournament team after dishing out 50 assists and adding nine digs Saturday, ending the tournament averaging 10.2 assists per set.
 
The two teams went back-and-forth in the first set, with neither team leading by more than three. Hawai'i had set point at 24-23 after Mouchlias' fifth kill of the frame but the Bruins forced extra points with a sideout. The 'Bows had another chance to close out the first after taking a 25-24 lead but UCLA came back with two straight points to gain the advantage, before Ido David delivered back-to-back kills to give the Bruins a 28-26 first-set win.
 
The Warriors fell behind early in the second and trailed 19-13 before Thelle went on a 4-0 service run, highlighted by his program-record setting 122nd career ace, to cut the deficit to two. The 'Bows tied it up at 23 and had set point at 24-23 but the Bruins again forced extra points. From there, Hawai'i had five set points fought off by UCLA before Mouchlias put away a kill to tie the match at a set apiece with a marathon 33-31 second-set win.
 
The 'Bows held a slim early lead in set three, but the Bruins flipped the momentum midway through the frame and opened up a 20-15 lead. UH was able to pull back within two at 21-19 after a Cole Hogland, Thelle double block but UCLA went on a 4-2 run to end the set and win 25-21.
 
UCLA again used a mid-set run to open up a lead in the fourth set, taking a 19-14 lead after UH had cut the deficit to two at 15-13. The 'Bows got to within three of the Bruins at 23-20 after a block, but a service error gave UCLA set point and a kill ended the match.