UCLA’s campaign for a 20^th NCAA men’s volleyball national championship superseded Hawaii’s run at a third straight crown as the Bruins defeated the Rainbow Warriors in four sets in the national final in Fairfax, Va., on Saturday.

The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation champions inexorably wore down their Big West counterpart with a superior service game and ball control, winning 28-26, 31-33, 25-21, 25-21 at George Mason’s EagleBank Arena.

The Bruins, the most decorated program in the history of the sport, had last won it all in 2006 and came up short in its three most recent NCAA tournament appearances. But behind freshman setter Andrew Rowan, they would not be denied Saturday. Rowan had 60 assists as UCLA minimized its errors, especially in the third and fourth sets after taking UH’s best punch in the second.

An estimated 2,200 Hawaii fans were on hand as UH (29-3) attempted to become the first program to win three or more in a row since UCLA strung four together from 1981 to 1984. Instead, its 12-match winning streak was snapped as it lost on the mainland for the first time this season.

In the immediate aftermath, UH players and coaches were left to reflect on the end of a run for a group that achieved unprecedented success for the program. UH went 2-2 in the national final over the last four editions of the NCAA tournament, eclipsing the loss of the 2002 title for use of an ineligible player.

Coach Charlie Wade said Saturday's loss would not define the 'Bows, whose core includes several All-Americans, some of whom will return.

"Super proud of this group for what these guys have accomplished," Wade said, saying he thought no other program had made four straight finals since UCLA in the '80s (the Bruins actually did it again in the 1990s).

"Really historic what these guys have been able to do in terms of winning, but more importantly what they’ve been able to do in our community," he continued. "They really have created something I would call generational in terms of the support and the aloha they’ve built, and how much pride and joy the people of the state of Hawaii take in supporting this team and watching them compete."

Opposite Dimitrios Mouchlias led UH with 18 kills in his final collegiate game before turning professional. Spyros Chakas added 12 and Chaz Galloway 11.

Guilherme Voss and Cole Hogland combined for 14 kills and just one error in the middle. Hogland, in his last match, was in on seven blocks, including a solo stuff. Libero Brett Sheward had 16 digs.

AVCA Player of the Year Jakob Thelle did what he could in his collegiate finale with 50 kills, nine digs, three blocks and an ace. His record-breaking 122^nd career ace came in the second set to help key UH’s rally.

"I won’t be 100% satisfied (with what UH did), but as a team what we accomplished over the years, this goes beyond sports," Thelle said. "The brotherhood that we have built over the years, the culture … that’s something you can never take away and that’s more important than the results we have achieved."

Mouchlias was asked what the heavy crowd support meant; UH received it on the road all season long but it built into the thousands for postseason games at UC Irvine and then on the East Coast.

"Everything. Everything," the Greek standout said. "I cannot describe it. It means so much to us. That’s the foundation. We are the final product of a whole process. And there are so many things happening backstage that you guys don’t see. And all the fans are a major contributor to that."

Hitter Ido David put down a match-high 23 kills for the top-seeded Bruins (31-2) while tournament MVP Alex Knight contributed 15 and Merrick McHenry 11.

For the second straight match in the tournament, second-seeded UH – itself accustomed to devastating opponents on serves – was outdone from the line as the Bruins tossed in 10 aces to UH's three, including five by J.R. Norris IV. Norris had a back-breaking pair late in Set 4 to extend UCLA’s lead to six points and essentially clinch the match.

"I just felt prepared," Norris, a sixth-year senior, said on the ESPN broadcast. "I've been in college for a long time so this was the culmination of a lot of hard work."

An incredible comeback from six points down late in the second set, followed by six set point opportunities that were turned back, seemed to drain the Rainbow Warriors, who hit .299 to UCLA's .353.

"Their serve-receive was exceptional," Wade said. "The matchup in the middle, we really didn’t have much of an answer for it."

The Bruins won 12 straight to close the year after falling in four sets to the 'Bows in the Outrigger Invitational in Honolulu on March 11. 

"Hawaii's such a capable team and they kept coming back and coming back," UCLA coach John Speraw said on the broadcast. "Even at the end, I had a very strong suspicion that they were going to replay that (final point). I'm glad it came out our way."

UH couldn’t hold a 20-18 advantage in Set 1 and UCLA knotted it at 20.

David hit wide right on the next two balls and UH turned a free ball into a back-row quick attack by Chakas.

UCLA rallied again on Knight’s tough serves to tie it at 23. Mouchlias hit off the block for set point. UCLA quickly equalized at 24.

Thelle went twice to Hogland for another set point, and UCLA answered in the middle. Mouchlias hit wide to give UCLA set point but Chakas erased it with a pipe attack.

David hit off the UH block for another Bruins set point and David put down the set-winner on a second effort.

David roofed Galloway for a 16-11 Bruins lead in Set 2. Thelle took his first swing on the second touch and put one down, which would be his only kill of the night.

Thelle’s record-breaking ace came at a much-needed time to get UH within 19-15. UH scored the next two on his serve.

Hogland got up high for a block to get UH within 22-20 and Mouchlias followed with a kill.

Mouchlias got the better of a joust to bring UH within a point and David hit long as the set went to 23-all.

After several missed UH chances to take the set, Mouchlias missed wide to give the Bruins their first set point, but Thelle found Voss to make it 29-all.

David pounded a kill on an open look, but Galloway dunked a ball through UCLA’s triple block at 30-all.

Champlain got stuffed by Hogland and Thelle. UCLA answered.

Galloway’s back-row blast gave UH its seventh set point and Mouchlias hit off the block to finally end it at 33-31.

The teams appeared drained to start Set 3, but UH went point for point and led 10-8.

UCLA surged ahead 13-11. David turned back Chakas, and a wall of blue roofed Mouchlias for a 17-13 Bruins lead — momentarily as Wade got it reversed on a challenge to keep UH within 16-14.

A rare ball-handling error by Thelle gave UCLA a 18-14 lead. Galloway was solo blocked and the deficit reached five.

Hogland and Galloway combined on a block of David and UH came within two.

Rowan notched an ace to push the lead back to four.

Chakas turned back a set point, but David pushed the Bruins’ overall lead to 2-1 on the next point.

UCLA, as it did in Set 3, steadily worked its way ahead in Set 4.

UH’s Keoni Thiim foot faulted on a serve and UCLA led 13-11. Chakas mishandled the ball on a set and UCLA led 15-11 at the media timeout.

Speraw won an in-out challenge and Thelle touched the antenna on the next point, and David put away a ball as UCLA suddenly led by five.

Chakas hit off the block to get UH back within 19-16, but Norris tossed in his fourth and fifth aces to extend the lead to six.

Mouchlias notched a block but McHenry struck from the middle to end Thelle’s service run.

Voss and Mouchlias combined on a block to get UH within 23-20 and Speraw called his last timeout.

Chakas served into the net to set up quadruple match point for UCLA. Mouchlias hammered a ball down to save the first.

Voss’ tough serve gave UH a free-ball opportunity, but the ‘Bows mishandled the pass over the net. A Wade challenge interrupted the Bruins’ celebration, but only for a moment as there was no net violation, and the Bruins mobbed each other once again.

"I think that it’s just hard to describe even how much character and how much fight everyone on this team has," Voss said. "I didn’t see a single time during the year where we gave up on a point or gave up on the game. I think we fought hard. That’s all I can ask of my brothers."

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.