The Rainbow Warriors are going to the ‘ship.
Led by King Kekaulike High School graduate Colton Cowell’s 15 kills, the University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team defeated Lewis in four sets in the NCAA Tournament semifinals Thursday in Long Beach, Calif.
Stijn van Tilburg and Rado Parapunov each added 11 kills as the top-seeded Rainbow Warriors (28-2) won 25-15, 25-17, 30-32, 25-16 to secure a spot in the national championship match against second-seeded Long Beach State — that match will be Saturday at 2 p.m. HST and televised on ESPN2.
UH had a huge advantage in hitting percentage (.368-.221), aces (10-1) and blocks (14-4.5) to wear down the Flyers and earn its third appearance in the title match– the other times were in 1996 (lost to UCLA) and 2002 (beat Pepperdine, but title later vacated).
After handily beating Lewis in the first two sets, the Rainbow Warriors appeared on their way to a sweep after a Cowell kill gave them a 21-18 lead. But the Flyers came back with three straight points to tie it up at 21. The teams traded blows from there — including a stretch of five straight service errors — with UH having six match points and Lewis fighting them off each time. Eventually the Flyers took a 30-29 lead on a kill by Mitch Perinar and went on to force a fourth set.
In the fourth, UH went on an early 8-3 run to take control and later scored six straight points for a 19-9 lead to all but put away the Flyers.
Ryan Coenen had 18 kills to lead Lewis (26-6). Perinar finished with 13 kills and Tyler Mitchem added 12.
UH and Long Beach State have played each other three times this season, with each match going five sets. The Beach won the first two meetings — both in Long Beach — before the Rainbow Warriors scored a victory over their rivals in the Big West Conference tournament championship match in Honolulu.
NCAA Tournament
At Long Beach, Calif.
SEMIFINALS
Thursday’s Results
Hawaii def. Lewis 25-15, 25-17, 30-32, 25-16
Long Beach St. def. Pepperdine 25-21, 21-25, 25-16, 25-15
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday’s Match (HST)
Hawaii vs. Long Beach St., 2 p.m. (ESPN2)
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