HONOLULU — Hawaii proved it could close the deal with everything on the line, and now the Rainbow Warriors will have a chance to prove their mettle on the national men’s volleyball stage once again.
The ‘Bows rode their rollicking home crowd to newfound confidence against Big West top seed Long Beach State and rallied late in each set of the Big West tournament championship match for a 27-25, 28-26, 25-23 sweep of the Beach on Saturday night at SimpliFi Arena. Defending national champion UH (24-5) earned the conference’s automatic berth to the seven-team NCAA tournament.
UH, ranked fourth in the AVCA poll, almost certainly needed to win the Big West’s automatic berth in order to secure its place in the NCAA tournament ranks after national top-two teams UCLA and Penn State both lost in their conference tournaments.
LBSU (20-4), which was No. 1 in the national RPI, was awarded a coveted at-large bid and the No. 1 seed in the tournament in Sunday morning's selection show despite its loss to Hawaii. If UH and LBSU meet again, it will be in the national championship game at UCLA in two weeks.
The ‘Bows were effectively the third seed placed into the second round at Pauley Pavilion. They await the winner of Princeton and North Greenville.
Ball State, which UH lost to twice in true road games early in the season without some of the Rainbow Warriors’ best players – they were out due to health and safety protocols – was awarded the No. 2 seed. If UH wins its first match, it will advance to face the Cardinals in a national semifinal.
Wade said his team, the second seed in the Big West, knew it had to win over the BWC’s top-seeded team Saturday to ensure that it got in, due to upset losses for UCLA and Penn State around the country. Penn State was the odd team out, denied the two at-large berths that went to UCLA and LBSU.
UH’s late-set heroics on Saturday were quite the opposite of their failings late in sets in two losses at the Pyramid at the start of April. It allowed the ‘Bows to secure their second Big West tournament championship in three appearances (2018, 2019).
“It was a little bit of a reversal of fortunes from when we played them at their place, when it seemed like we had a lead and weren’t able to hold onto it,” UH coach Charlie Wade said. “Tonight we were able to kind of come from behind and make some plays down the stretch.”
Backed by about 7,500 of their closest friends, UH (24-5) was game. Junior setter Jakob Thelle was named tournament MVP after dishing 43 assists with 11 digs in the title match, while presenting as a threat to swing on the second touch in any given rally.
“Today was a huge step in the right direction for defending our national championship,” Thelle said. We’re excited for what’s to come.”
UH’s Greek Squad of Dimitrios Mouchlias and Spyros Chakas combined for 32 kills. For Mouchlias especially, it was redemption after he was benched for struggling in the two regular-season losses to LBSU.
“It was a difficult period,” Mouchlias said. “For two weeks after the Long Beach (games), I had to focus more. I had to work more. Be more into it during practice and during the games. I tried my best and I keep trying. I have to keep improving in order to achieve our goals.”
Mouchlias and middle Guilherme Voss each got in on five blocks.
The SimpliFi Arena crowd was again the largest that UH has hosted for a single event since pandemic restrictions were lifted, rivaling some of the crowds UH received pre-pandemic.
“When you get that crowd going, that synergy effect, that’s real,” Wade said.
The Beach’s freshman star, Alex Nikolov, earned the enmity of the crowd in the early going and was booed on every subsequent trip to the service line.
Nikolov, from the same Bulgarian hometown as former UH star Rado Parapunov, appeared to embrace the role of villain as he amassed 19 kills on a whopping 42 swings, with seven errors to hit .286.
But the Beach did not have a consistent threat beyond Nikolov, as they hit .275 to UH’s .368.
The crowd’s energy was consistent throughout.
“I’m proud of the way we handled the environment,” Beach coach Alan Knipe said. “We go from playing in gyms with nobody in them (during COVID) to playing in gyms that are packed and something they’ve never seen. To be honest, it’s an incredible environment, and it’s what every college league wants to be a part of.”
In Set 2, when LBSU got off to a five-point lead, Nikolov and Mouchlias postured and gestured at each other on a couple of occasions. Mouchlias downplayed it afterward.
“Nothing. Alex is a great guy,” Mouchlias said.
LBSU won the first three points of the match with benefit of a successful challenge. After the opening delay, the UH block arrived.
Serving sub Keoni Thiim fired an ace for a 17-15 lead. The Beach tied it up again at 18.
UH got a key point when both teams had their hands on the ball simultaneously in a joust that touched the antenna on UH’s right side. The point was awarded to UH, to the objection of Knipe.
Nikolov lofted his second timely ace of the set to knot it at 21.
UH hitter Chaz Galloway was roofed by Clarke Godbold and Shane Holdaway as LBSU went up for the first time since the opening points.
UH middle Cole Hogland got a kill on an overpass to knot it at 23. A Galloway service error gave LBSU set point but Chakas staved it off with a kill.
Nikolov went to the right sideline to set up a second set point but Spencer Olivier fired a serve into the net. Wade challenged a no-touch call on a swing by Chakas and was successful for a 26-25 lead.
Guilherme Voss put the set away from the middle when a blocking error was called on Holdaway.
Mouchlias solo blocked Nikolov early in the second set and the two had a brief verbal exchange. Nikolov returned the favor two points later and the two had a staredown.
Nikolov and a teammate stuffed Mouchlias one more time and Nikolov put down a kill through the block and exulted at 9-4.
UH drew even at 15-all on an ace by Mouchlias that Knipe challenged, unsuccessfully.
Mouchlias put a shot out for a two-point beach lead, but he got a point back on his next opportunity. Galloway put down an overpass to knot it at 20.
Nikolov, anticipating high hands, wound up and hit an incredible line-drive ball into the UH student section on the far side of the arena. A fan in the area waved a “That’s Embarassing” sign, to the delight of the crowd. Knipe challenged a touch, unsuccessfully, and the set was tied at 22.
After a key dig on a Nikolov attack by Mouchlias, Thelle put the ball down on two to deny LBSU the set.
Nikolov went off the triple block for LBSU’s second set point of Set 2.
Mouchlias tooled the block to tie it at 26 and Mouchlias and Voss combined to block Spencer Olivier for UH’s first set point. UH made got on it as Mouchlias went crosscourt and the building erupted going into the set break.
LBSU looked to diversify its attack in Set 3, helping generate a three-point lead. But there were diminishing returns on the role players taking swings.
UH picked up its defense and Galloway put one off the block to tie it at 11. A Nikolov roll shot came up short of clearing the net and UH had its first lead of the frame. Mouchlias followed with a kill and Knipe called timeout.
After a weak attack, Mouchlias put one more down the sideline as the Beach’s composure began to crack.
Nikolov hit one long and the lead grew to three. Hogland followed with an overpass putdown.
Mouchlias hit over the block for his 15th kill and a 19-15 lead. The Beach burned its last timeout as the crowd ate it up.
Nikolov blocked a swing on two by Thelle as LBSU got within 19-17, but Voss put down a quick ball in the middle.
Mouchlias put a ball wide and LBSU hung within 21-20. Mouchlias redeemed himself in going crosscourt.
The teams sided out until Chakas put down the match-winner.
More photos from the night:
Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.