Two-time defending NCAA men’s volleyball champion Hawaii answered its toughest test to date in the still-young 2023 season Friday.
Top-ranked UH traveled to the Bay Area to face No. 8 Stanford in the first of two matches and the Rainbow Warriors swept the Cardinal, 25-22, 25-19, 26-24, at Maples Pavilion to extend their season streak of sweeps to six.
Setter Jakob Thelle, who missed his team’s East Coast road trip three weeks ago with an injury, was back in action and he guided the ‘Bows to a season-best .440 hitting percentage — 40 kills against just seven errors.
Pin hitters Spyros Chakas and Dimitrios Mouchlias combined for 23 kills and middles Guilherme Voss and Cole Hogland were together 10-for-11. Thelle served up career ace No. 103 on match point to complete a comeback from four points down in the third set.
UH left no doubt in the second set by hitting .696 with no errors in the frame.
UH (8-0) and Stanford (7-3) rematch at 4 p.m. Hawaii time Saturday, this time at Burnham Pavilion. Will Rottman led the Cardinal with 13 kills on .222 hitting Friday.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.