HONOLULU, Hawai’i – Despite having four hitters reach double figures in kills and hitting over .300 as a team, No. 3 UC Santa Barbara saw its season-opening four-match winning streak come to an end at the hands of No. 9 Hawai’i in Friday night’s Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opener for both teams at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Senior opposite Kevin Donohue was at the forefront of the Gaucho (4-1 overall, 0-1 MPSF) offensive, recording a co-team-high 16 kills and 10 digs for the squad’s first double-double of the season. Sophomore outside hitter Jacob Delson had 16 kills as well, while senior outside hitter Weston Nielsen (13 kills) and senior middle blocker Jake Staahl (10 kills on 16 swings) had productive nights as well.
Hawai’i improved to 4-1, 1-0 with the win, with set scores of 25-23, 25-23, 24-26, 27-25.
Directing a UCSB attack that finished with a hitting percentage over .300 for the fourth time in five matches was junior setter Jonah Seif. The All-American registered 55 assists on the night, shattering his previous career record for helpers in a sub-five game match (49 vs. UCSD on Feb. 1, 2013).
After dropping two close games in opposite fashion – the teams were tied late in the first before Brooke Sedore broke through for the set-winner while Hawai’i jumped out to a sizable lead to start the second before UCSB crawled back into it – UCSB got on the board in the third to stave off the sweep.
UCSB’s determination in the third was especially impressive considering they trailed at 15-10 and 23-20. A Weston Nielsen serving run mid-set narrowed the deficit to three points, then later Donohue ripped an ace to kick-start a 4-0 Gauchos run that brough them to set point at 24-23. Three points later, Delson clinched the set with his sixth kill of the frame.
The decisive fourth set was the closest of the match, with 11 ties and four lead changes. UCSB led at 20-17, but Hawai’i responded with a 6-1 run to gain control of the set. A Donohue kill and Donohue-Staahl double block tied the score at 23-23 and set up a back-and-forth between the two teams for the next few points. At 25-25, Hawai’i’s Davis Holt and Kupono Fey teamed up for consecutive kills to end the two-hour, 35 minute slugfest.
The Rainbow Warriors were led by Brook Sedore, who paced all players with 19 kills and 11 digs. Taylor Averill had 15 kills, hit .478, and recorded seven blocks from the front row. The host team hit a robust .356, by far the highest clip by a UCSB opponent this season.
UCSB will look to get even with Hawai’i on Sunday night. The two teams will complete their season series in Honolulu beginning at 7:00 p.m. PST.
