HONOLULU - UC San Diego was ahead by as many as six in the opening game and even served one set point, only to see No. 5 Hawai'i steal the frame and sweep the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) men's volleyball match at the Stan Sheriff Center on Sunday night. Scores were 30-28, 25-19 and 25-22.
In dropping both ends of this weekend's conference matchup on the islands, UCSD fell to 3-7 overall and 0-6 in the MPSF. UH improved to 8-1 overall and 3-1 in league play ahead of welcoming in undefeated and top-ranked UCLA for a two-match series next week. The Rainbow Warriors remained an unblemished 7-0 at home with a 16th straight success in their building going back to last year. Sunday's meeting was contested in front of 2,881 spectators.
Junior Ian Colbert equaled his career-best performance with a team-high 19 kills. It was indeed his second 19-kill effort in five days and three matches, having achieved that total in a five-set home triumph over Princeton just on Wednesday. On Sunday, he reached it on his single-match high of 46 attacks (.217). Sophomore Alec Flowers hit a career-high .600 (7-1-10). Middle blocking partner Shayne Beamer tied his career best with five total blocks. Senior outside hitter Kirill Rudenko came off the bench for a season- and match-best two service aces. Junior outside hitter Josh Schmidt added nine kills and eight digs, with sophomore setter Milosh Stojcic finishing with 33 assists, eight digs, two blocks and two kills on three attacks.
Senior outside hitter Sinisa Zarkovic led all players with 21 kills for UH, hitting. 594 (21-2-32). The Rainbow Warriors out-blocked the Tritons, 13.0-6.0, with Iain McKellar getting to seven. Libero Kolby Kanetake collected 15 digs and setter Jennings Franciskovic 37 assists.
Despite surrendering the first two points of the night, UCSD sprinted out to a 7-3 advantage to trigger the first timeout of the night. A stuff block by Alec Flowers and Tanner Syftestad made it 15-9 in favor of the Tritons at the media break. The Rainbow Warriors eventually caught up, but at 22-22, Rudenko dropped in an ace to force UH's second timeout. A Syftestad kill brought on set point. A Kupono Fey kill and combo block by Fey and McKellar gave Hawai'i its first set point, before a Beamer kill evened the score once more.
A service error and three Zarkovic kills gave UH four more set points. UCSD countered the first three via two Colbert kills and one by Flowers, before a solo block by Hendrik Mol on Colbert finally gave the frame to the home side.
The second set featured a couple of one-point Triton leads and five tie scores early, but up 12-10, UH tallied the next five to force a timeout at 17-10, and was ahead by at least four points for the remainder.
A tight third stanza was tied even as late as 22-22 before Hawai'i completed its sweep by producing the last three points.
UCSD returns to the mainland tonight and awaits a home pair in conference play in the coming week. The Tritons welcome in California Baptist on Friday, Feb. 5, and USC on Saturday, Feb. 6. Both first serves inside RIMAC Arena are at 7 p.m.
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