Just how big is today’s volleyball match between No. 1 Hawaii and Lincoln Memorial? For the host Railsplitters, about 3,500 seats and the prestige that comes with that.
For the first time in program history, LMU is playing in its B. Frank “Tex” Arena (capacity 5,009) instead of the cozy 1,500-seat Mary Mars Gym. It is a huge deal for the 10th-year program in Harrogate, Tenn., as well as a new experience for the King Tornado (2-3), Tuesday’s opponent for the Rainbow Warriors (7-0).
When the teams first met in 2018, it was in Mary Mars during the Grow The Game Challenge. Hawaii ran its record to 5-0 with a 25-18, 25-13, 25-15 sweep of LMU, the second match of the day for the Warriors, who had swept Grand Canyon an hour earlier.
There was no real rest between those matches 53 weeks ago, but Hawaii made up for it on Sunday when traveling out of Chicago on an early morning flight. The Warriors took the day off, recharging and reflecting on the dig-deep, refuse-to-lose outcomes in Illinois on Friday and Saturday.
Hawaii dropped the first set against both No. 5 Lewis and No. 12 Loyola, then used impressive rallies in overcoming the Flyers and the Ramblers. On Saturday, Warriors senior opposite Rado Parapunov reset his career-best against Loyola, his 24 kills surpassing the 22 from the previous night at Lewis.
Senior hitter Colton Cowell, not cleared to play in the 20-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-23 win over the Flyers, returned with a career-high 19 kills in the 22-25, 25-23, 25-20, 27-25 victory against the Ramblers.
“We have veteran guys, All-Americans, who have played a lot of volleyball, and played a lot of volleyball together,” Hawaii coach Charlie Wade said in a telephone interview with the Star-Advertiser. “When you ask why we’re still undefeated, that is part of it. Plus, we’ve been really good at the end of sets.
“We have been throwing in a bunch of new young guys and it’s been nice to see them respond. That we are able to be successful with the different lineups makes it very hard for teams to prepare for us because they don’t know who’s our setter, who’ll be on the outside, who’ll be in the middle.”
In both matches, sophomore setter Jakob Thelle was replaced by redshirt freshman Brett Sheward. Sheward played in the final two sets against Lewis and last three against Loyola.
“Sometimes you just need to make a small change to change the rhythm and the scouting report,” Wade said. “Brett has been able to run the middle a little better.
“What I liked about this team is when their backs were up against the wall, they stayed calm.”
Key to the victories, Wade said, was the play of senior middle Patrick Gasman and junior libero Gage Worsley. Gasman had a combined 14 kills and 11 blocks, and Worsley 24 digs.
And then there’s Parapunov, who continues to play his way into the early conversation for national player of the year. He was in contention last season — as were the since-graduated Stijn van Tilburg and Joe Worsley — an award that went to Long Beach State senior TJ DeFalco.
“If he wasn’t the front-runner as the best coming into last week, he is now,” Wade said.
Parapunov, third nationally in kills per set (4.35), remains on track to become the 18th Warrior to reach 1,000 kills. He has 871 going into today.
While Hawaii rolls into the Volunteer State having dropped just two sets in seven matches, today’s host dropped three in its last match. The Railsplitters fell to No. 15 Ohio State 3-1 in Columbus, LMU’s fourth straight match on the road.
King also lost to the host Buckeyes, 3-0. The Tornado opened the season on the road, falling to Loyola 3-1 and Lewis 3-0.
This is the second state Hawaii will be playing in on this road trip but the fourth the Warriors will be staying in. A quirk in hotel reservations had Hawaii in Kentucky today and moving to Virginia Tuesday.
There are about 95 miles between Lincoln Memorial and King.
Note
The NCAA men’s volleyball committee, which selects the teams for the postseason, has been expanded to five after adding two coaches for the first time in addition to three administration members. Named last week as first-year members were King’s Ryan Booher and Stanford’s John Kosty.
Hawaii athletic director Dave Matlin was named as a West Coast representative along with Kosty. Matlin replaces UCLA’s Ashley Armstrong. NJIT athletic director Lenny Kaplan, an East Coast rep, will remain as chair for the second consecutive year.
There is a vacancy for the Midwest rep, created by the retirement of Purdue Fort Wayne senior associate athletic director Tim Heffron. It is expected to be filled by next month.
MEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
>> Today, 3 p.m. HST
>> No. 1 Hawaii (7-0) at Lincoln Memorial (3-2), Harrogate, Tenn.
>> Tuesday, 2 p.m. HST
>> No. 1 Hawaii at King (2-3), Bristol, Tenn.
>> Radio/TV: None
>> Online stream: Today, lmurailsplitters.com; Tuesday, kingtornado.com
>> Series: Hawaii leads Lincoln Memorial, 3-0; leads King, 2-0
