Hawaii volleyball team makes short work of Long Island

Hawaii outside hitter Keoni Thiim pounded all seven of his career-high seven kills in the third set to help the top-ranked Rainbow Warriors complete a sweep of Long Island University tonight at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

Thiim had three kills and an ace in UH’s 8-1 run to end the match and pounded his final kill from the back row on match point in the Warriors’ 25-13, 25-13, 25-18 win before a crowd 2,920.

UH (12-0) extended its winning streak to 21 and will conclude the series with LIU (6-5) on Friday.

The Warriors posted 10.5 blocks through two sets with middle blocker Cole Hogland in on eight and again showed off their depth in their ninth sweep of the season.

Nine UH players registered at least one kill in the match led by Thiim’s seven kills in 10 swings without an error. Spyros Chakas posted six kills while playing first two sets. Alakai’i Todd started the final two sets at opposite and had five kills in seven swings.

UH’s block total contributed to Long Island’s 27 attack errors and the Sharks hit .000 overall. Kamehameha-Maui graduate Kale Spencer had six kills in 14 attempts.

The Sharks posted three blocks in a four-point span and a kill from Spencer tied the set at 9-9. The Warriors outscored the Sharks 16-4 from that point and closed the set with Kana’i Akana’s six-point service turn. His run included an ace of the tape and Hogland was in on three blocks.

UH raced out to a 15-5 lead in the second set, with aces from Brett Sheward and Hogland and two more blocks. Senior outside hitter Filip Humler, making his second appearance of the season, checked in for Sheward late in the set leaving UH without a true setter on the floor. The Warriors didn’t need one in scoring on blocks on three of the next four points. Sophomore setter Austin Buchanan checked in to finish the set and fed Humler on set point for his second kill of the season.

LIU played with a lead for the first time in the match when the Sharks jumped ahead 4-1 in the third set. The Sharks tied the set at 17-17 before a Thiim sparked the Warriors’ surge to end the match.