No. 3 University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team sweeps Long Island in return home

Hawaii outside hitter Spyros Chakas put away 10 kills and the third-ranked Rainbow Warrior volleyball team withstood an early challenge to sweep Long Island tonight in the opener of a three-match series at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

Back at home after a 12-day road trip, the Rainbow Warriors played from behind for most of the opening set against the Sharks and faced a set point. UH scored the final three points of the set, including a tying ace by Dimitrios Mouchlias, to survive the early test and rolled through the next two sets in a 26-24, 25-11, 25-15 win.

The Warriors hit .111 with six errors in the opening set, but went .514 with just three errors over the next two sets to earn their fourth straight win.

The Rainbow Warriors (8-2) and Sharks (3-8) meet again at 7 p.m. Wednesday and close the series on Friday.

>> PHOTOS: Hawaii vs. Long Island

Long Island, under coach Shawn Patchell, put up considerably more resistance than the previous two first-year programs Hawaii faced this season.

After UH scored the opening point of the match, the Sharks posted two blocks in a 7-1 run and Luke Chandler’s seven kills helped LIU maintain a lead deep into the set.

Chakas tied it at 17-17 with a kill and at 20-20 with a solo block. Long Island edged ahead again and earned a set point at 24-23 on Chandler’s eighth kill. His ensuing serve sailed into the tables beyond the endline to extend the set. Mouchlias fired an ace, and after a timeout the Sharks sent a free ball into the net to end the set.

The Sharks again jumped out to an early lead in the second set at 5-2. The Warriors responded with a 12-3 run and serving substitute Jack Walmer had three aces and the Warriors had three blocks in an 8-0 run to close the set.

The teams traded sideouts early in the third set before UH took control on three consecutive kills by Alaka’i Todd and an ace by Jakob Thelle. Filip Humler added the last two of UH’s 10 aces and the Warriors closed the match with their 12th block.