Friday, March 24
Northridge, CA
7:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
12-8,1-2Big West
0
vs
3
Hawai'i
19-2,2-1Big West
1
2
3
F
Hawaii
25
25
25
3
CSUN
22
14
18
0
Photo by: Heidi Eligio
No. 2 Hawai'i Sweeps No. 14 Matadors in Series Opener
3/24/2023 9:14:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - In the opener of a two-match weekend set, second-ranked Hawai'i hit .478 as a team to sweep the 14th-ranked CSUN Matadors in a Big West match Friday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena.
The visiting Rainbow Warriors improve to 19-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big West while the Matadors slip to 12-8 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
KEY STATISTICS
• Kyle Hobus led CSUN with a match-high 12 kills (.226) while adding four digs and a pair of blocks.
• Griffin Walters also reached double figures with 10 kills, hitting .474 on 19 swings to go with a team-high seven digs.
• Jano Tello and Lorenzo Bertozzi each chipped in five kills with Tello hitting a team-high .667 hitting.Â
• Sophomore setter Donovan Constable posted 30 assists and had CSUN's lone ace as the Matadors hit .222 (34-16-81) as a team.
• In addition to out-hitting the Matadors, Hawai'i also had a sizable 10-4.5 advantage in blocks and a 5-1 edge in aces.
• Chaz Galloway matched Hobus with 12 kills (.500) to lead all hitters while Spyros Chakas added nine kills (.375) for the Rainbow Warriors.
COACH THEO EDWARDS SAID
"There were moments tonight that we followed the game plan to the T, then there were points where we lose focus and unfortunately you can't miss assignments and make mistakes against a team like this. In order to play against the best teams in the Big West, we have to be able to sustain really high-level play and what that means is being able to score in transition and finding ways to get digs and extend rallies. Our ability to control the ball a little bit better and slow them down but also find a way to score in transition is going to be the difference in matches against the best teams in the Big West."
SET 1
Neither team led by more than one point until UH scored three straight to erase a 15-14 CSUN lead. The Warriors would extend the lead to three at 19-16 when the Matadors used a 4-1 run to tie the score at 20-20. But three straight kills gave the visitors the margin they needed as Hawai'i withstood a late 2-0 CSUN run to pull away for the 25-22 win.
SET 2
The Warriors committed a hitting error on the opening point of the set to give the Matadors their only lead of the set. With the score tied at 7-7, UH scored four straight to force a CSUN timeout at 11-7. A Warrior block opened up a 16-10 cushion and Hawai'i would eventually lead by double digits at 23-13 before taking the set by 11 (25-14).
SET 3Â
Hawai'i won three of first four points of the final set and would never trail. A Warrior triple block opened up a 14-8 lead before the visitors pushed the lead to 17-9 while forcing a CSUN timeout. Trailing by eight (20-12), the Matadors put together a 5-1 run to pull within four (21-17) following a Hobus/Malcolm King block. But the Warriors answered by taking four of the final five points to take a 25-18 win and a 3-0 sweep.
UP NEXT
CSUN and Hawai'i complete the two-match regular season series Saturday night with first serve at 7 p.m. inside Premier America Credit Union Arena at 7 p.m.Â
#GoMatadors
The visiting Rainbow Warriors improve to 19-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big West while the Matadors slip to 12-8 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
KEY STATISTICS
• Kyle Hobus led CSUN with a match-high 12 kills (.226) while adding four digs and a pair of blocks.
• Griffin Walters also reached double figures with 10 kills, hitting .474 on 19 swings to go with a team-high seven digs.
• Jano Tello and Lorenzo Bertozzi each chipped in five kills with Tello hitting a team-high .667 hitting.Â
• Sophomore setter Donovan Constable posted 30 assists and had CSUN's lone ace as the Matadors hit .222 (34-16-81) as a team.
• In addition to out-hitting the Matadors, Hawai'i also had a sizable 10-4.5 advantage in blocks and a 5-1 edge in aces.
• Chaz Galloway matched Hobus with 12 kills (.500) to lead all hitters while Spyros Chakas added nine kills (.375) for the Rainbow Warriors.
COACH THEO EDWARDS SAID
"There were moments tonight that we followed the game plan to the T, then there were points where we lose focus and unfortunately you can't miss assignments and make mistakes against a team like this. In order to play against the best teams in the Big West, we have to be able to sustain really high-level play and what that means is being able to score in transition and finding ways to get digs and extend rallies. Our ability to control the ball a little bit better and slow them down but also find a way to score in transition is going to be the difference in matches against the best teams in the Big West."
SET 1
Neither team led by more than one point until UH scored three straight to erase a 15-14 CSUN lead. The Warriors would extend the lead to three at 19-16 when the Matadors used a 4-1 run to tie the score at 20-20. But three straight kills gave the visitors the margin they needed as Hawai'i withstood a late 2-0 CSUN run to pull away for the 25-22 win.
SET 2
The Warriors committed a hitting error on the opening point of the set to give the Matadors their only lead of the set. With the score tied at 7-7, UH scored four straight to force a CSUN timeout at 11-7. A Warrior block opened up a 16-10 cushion and Hawai'i would eventually lead by double digits at 23-13 before taking the set by 11 (25-14).
SET 3Â
Hawai'i won three of first four points of the final set and would never trail. A Warrior triple block opened up a 14-8 lead before the visitors pushed the lead to 17-9 while forcing a CSUN timeout. Trailing by eight (20-12), the Matadors put together a 5-1 run to pull within four (21-17) following a Hobus/Malcolm King block. But the Warriors answered by taking four of the final five points to take a 25-18 win and a 3-0 sweep.
UP NEXT
CSUN and Hawai'i complete the two-match regular season series Saturday night with first serve at 7 p.m. inside Premier America Credit Union Arena at 7 p.m.Â
#GoMatadors
Team Stats
Hawaii
CSUN
Kills
39
34
Errors
7
16
Attempts
67
81
Hitting %
.478
.222
Points
54
39.5
Assists
36
33
Aces
5
1
Blocks
10
4.5
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
S
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's Volleyball
OPP
/ Men's VolleyballMB
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's VolleyballCalHOPE Award Nathan Merren
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