HONOLULU — Your average Hawaii volleyball fan could be forgiven for not knowing much about the Missouri University of Science and Technology, a second-year program from Rolla, Mo.

Many of them showed up at the Stan Sheriff Center on Thursday night, anyway, to catch the Rainbow Warriors resume their 2024 campaign after a 12-day break.

The arena turnstiles registered 3,418 people (4,922 tickets issued) as the No. 3 Rainbow Warriors had little trouble dispatching the Division I independent Miners, 25-12, 25-12, 25-20 for their 10^th straight victory.

UH (11-1) gave star hitter Spyros Chakas the night off and still had more than enough firepower in Sets 1 and 2, in which it hit .588 and .750. Coach Charlie Wade reached into his bench for Set 3 and that one was competitive until the ‘Bows claimed six of the final seven points.

The solid turnout against an unknown opponent like S&T (8-7) was not lost on UH opposite Alaka‘i Todd (15 kills, 21 swings, .667) and middle Kurt Nusterer (five blocks, one ace) one match after 9,000-plus arrived for a memorable night against No. 5 Stanford on Feb. 9.

“I think it was really amazing that we could bring that crowd in, but I think it’s partly due to the hard work we’ve been putting in and … that same sense of itch and excitement to want to play,” Todd said. “It’s been so long since the Stanford series.”

Nusterer, sitting next to Todd in the Sheriff’s postgame interview room, felt compelled to add credit to ‘Bows of years past for setting the proverbial table.

“We’ve obviously worked hard for this, but the guys before us, going back to the Kupono Fey, Josh Walker days, when they kind of reshaped the team focus and the mindset of the team, and that’s really carried on ‘til now,” Nusterer said. “That culture has been something that a lot of guys before us have worked really, really hard for and we’re the ones getting the rewards of it when we play in front of 4,000 people on a Thursday night. But I think so much of the credit really goes to them. We always talk about what we’re going to do to sustain that. That’s kind of our biggest focus. We’re so grateful for it and it’s the reason we get so many people to come play here. There’s other great programs out there, other great schools out there, but there’s nobody who can have 4,000 fans on a Thursday against Missouri S&T.”

Wade credited his group for coming out focused and committing only 11 total errors over the first two sets.

“Pretty clean, and that’s ultimately the test is how productive and how efficient you are,” Wade said.

Keoni Thiim supplied nine kills on 13 swings and Chaz Galloway added seven before giving way to Louis Sakanoko for Set 3. Backup setter Kevin Kauling spelled starter Tread Rosenthal at that point, too. UH hit .492 for the match despite a pedestrian final frame, in which players from mismatched practice squads had to adjust to one another.

Missouri S&T was held to .058 hitting with Caleb Rohlwing leading the way with five kills on nine swings. The Miners’ top attacker on the season, Aaron Sallade, committed more errors (eight) than he had kills (six).

The ’Bows and the Miners resume their two-game set at 7 p.m. Friday night. Unlike Thursday night’s match, it will not be televised, as Spectrum Sports will carry the UH baseball game across Lower Campus at Les Murakami Stadium.

Note: Hawaii is ranked No. 3 in the most recent AVCA men's volleyball poll. A previous version of the story listed the Rainbow Warriors at an incorrect rank.

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