HONOLULU — A night that had something of everything contained a win and a loss for the Hawaii men’s volleyball team.
A fascinating, pulsating, thriller of a victory, in the form of a five-set decision over Big West rival UC Irvine at the Stan Sheriff Center on Sunday. And a gut-wrenching, deflating setback, in an injury to team leader Spyros Chakas that might’ve sharply altered the trajectory of the 2024 season.
[Note: See below for more photos of Sunday's match.]
The crowd of 6,923 (7,558 tickets issued) was on its feet in anticipation of a signature season moment as the Rainbow Warriors closed within match point of the Outrigger Volleyball Invitational title. They got one — just not a sight anyone could have imagined.
At 14-11, on UH’s second attempt at putting away UCI, Chakas went up for a tough ball at the right antenna and came down solely on his left leg. His knee buckled in a gruesome fashion and he crumpled to the court.
The building went completely silent for what felt like minutes. Players from both teams looked on with shock; UCI coach David Kniffin took a knee on the TaraFlex. After initial inspection of Chakas by an athletic trainer, teammates Tread Rosenthal and Guilherme Voss carried the All-American from Greece off the floor and into the tunnel, and he was wheeled into the Sheriff’s training room for examination.
Chakas’ face was grim. So was coach Charlie Wade’s.
On the other side of the net, Irvine setter Brett Sheward, Chakas’ former UH teammate for two national championships, wiped his face with his jersey and looked down.
“That was crushing,” Sheward said. “You heard the arena. It was dead silent. Man, (I) just wish him to get healthy real quick.”
Somehow, the ‘Bows were able to regroup and Voss put down the deciding point two points later in the 23-25, 25-19, 25-22, 17-25, 15-13 outcome. Some players ran off the floor immediately to check on their floor captain, while others remained for a decidedly strange trophy presentation. Chakas, who finished with 17 kills, eight digs and three blocks, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player; libero ‘Eleu Choy accepted on his behalf, and Alaka‘i Todd and Voss were also named to the all-tournament team for UH. UCI’s Hilir Henno was spectacular all week in totaling 89 kills — a career-high 36 against UH on Sunday — and was named all-tournament as well as Big West Player of the Week.
There were strange elements to the night almost from the start, as play was halted in the first set to clean up blood on the court, and again when a piece of floor tape worked loose. In the ensuing minutes as fans filed out, an unsettling vibe persisted in the building.
“At the end of the day we all love each other and we’ve been through a lot together,” said UH hitter Keoni Thiim, who along with Louis Sakanoko could see a heavier workload during any prolonged absence by Chakas. “Anybody taking a fall or getting hurt, we feel for him. That’s our brother. We’ve been through a lot together. We’re fired up and we’re going to do everything we can as a team to keep going.”
“Competitive match, entertaining, and obviously we got our fingers crossed and hoping Spyros is OK. That’s just part of competitive athletics,” said Wade.
Monday did not provide clarity on Chakas’ status as he was to undergo MRI imaging on the joint. An announcement could happen Tuesday, according to a team spokesperson.
Chakas retweeted the UH men’s volleyball account’s team picture with the Outrigger trophy, and posted on his Instagram story, “The amount of support and positivity is overwhelming in the most humbling and beautiful way that it can be. My boys got my back you’ll see it.
“Had some fun during these 3 days nonetheless,” he added with a crying laughing emoji.
The ramifications of a Chakas-less Rainbow Warrior lineup would be huge. For the last three seasons, as Chakas went, so often did UH — sometimes all the way. For the time being, however, the volleyball world still sees UH as a national title contender after it blew past Lewis and then-No. 1 Grand Canyon over the first two days of the Outrigger, and survived No. 5 UCI despite some less-than-stellar passing from the back row and set location from setter Tread Rosenthal. (Rosenthal, who was subbed out for part of Sunday’s match for backup Kevin Kauling, was lauded for his command and execution on Friday night against GCU).
On Monday, UH assumed the No. 1 position in the AVCA Top 20 poll for the first time in 2024. UH received 15 of 23 first-place votes. No. 2 Long Beach State, UH’s opponent at the Walter Pyramid on Friday and Saturday, received the other eight votes.
It is the sixth consecutive season that UH attained a No. 1 ranking at some point during the year — a poll record.
It is not just LBSU that UH must worry about getting past in the Big West. UCI has the look of a potential conference and national title contender.
The Anteaters were without opposite Will D’Arcy and hitter Nolan Flexen, two potent players. Kniffin went to a two-setter lineup with Sheward and Joe Karlous to maximize ball-handling and get looks to Henno, who put down all manner of shots, stinging and arcing, wide and direct.
Sheward showed off the versatility that allowed him to be a setter early in his UH career and a starting libero on NCAA title teams. He had a monster box score of 30 assists, 22 digs, two blocks and three kills.
Sheward, sporting a thick beard that he grew out over the summer, left UH in the offseason to pursue an opportunity to set in his final year of college ball.
“Brett’s just such a good volleyball player. Steady teammate and there to support,” Kniffin said. “Everything he was as a libero at Hawaii he brings to the setter position here, and maybe even a little bit more so.”
The coach could not tell on match day if the even-keeled Sheward was amped up for the matchup against his former teammates, but he did offer some pointers on playing in the Sheriff. UCI will be back in Honolulu for the Big West tournament in April, and the teams will play two league matches at the Bren Events Center earlier that month.
“We’d be silly not to listen to his advice or perspective on what works and where teams have been successful against Hawaii in Hawaii,” Kniffin said. “He’s got that firsthand knowledge. He was maybe a little bit more vocal on some of those things.”
Afterward, Sheward spent many minutes making the rounds and greeting old friends. He gave UH’s three assistants, Milan Zarkovic, Chad Giesseman and Kupono Fey hugs, and shook hands across the net with Wade.
Sheward had extended conversations with many of his old teammates. Thiim, who energized UH and the crowd with a run of serves in Set 3 and had a key three-point service run to begin Set 5, said the rivalry between the teams is a friendly one. Players seemed genuinely happy to see Sheward get a full opportunity to run an offense.
“Love to see Shewie ball. I’m proud of him,” Thiim said.
Although he was true to character in not displaying much emotion during the match, the 2023 All-Big West first-teamer Sheward said he was moved by the ovation he received from the UH fans when starting lineups were introduced.
“Really special being back here. I miss this place so much,” said Sheward, who arrived at UH and redshirted in 2019, then played four seasons. “Such a unique environment, and just speaks to the character of the people here. Unmatched compared to anywhere else. A lot of emotions, obviously. I mean, five years of this place was incredible. It was an honor to play here, and I wouldn’t give it up for the world. I’m grateful to be in the position I am to keep playing. Being back here is really, really awesome.”
He stopped talking for a moment to take a photo with Todd, his UH teammate for all five years in the Islands.
Also on Monday, Kurt Nusterer was named Big West Defensive Player of the Week after putting up nine blocks against UCI and Rosenthal was named Setter of the Week for the third consecutive time.
UCI’s Henno was named Player of the Week in putting down 89 kills in the Outrigger Invitational.
Anteaters libero Davis Lau, a Punahou School graduate, recorded two digs in the UCI loss.
Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.