Pepperdine eliminates Hawaii in MPSF tournament
The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors' Brook Sedore celebrates a point after a block by Jennings Franciskovic against the Pepperdine Waves during the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation semi-finals on Thursday evening at the Bren Center in Irvine. University of Hawai'i lost the match 1-3 (25-21, 22-25, 24-26, 16-25)
The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors Brook Sedore hits around the Pepperdine Waves' block during the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation semi-finals on Thursday evening at the Bren Center in Irvine. University of Hawai'i lost the match 1-3 (25-21, 22-25, 24-26, 16-25)
Punahou graduate Josh Taylor put down a match-high 22 kills and third-seeded Pepperdine knocked No. 2-seed Hawaii out of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation volleyball tournament Thursday with a 21-25, 25-22, 26-24, 25-16 at Irvine, Calif.
The semifinal victory puts the Waves (24-5) into Friday’s championship against top-seeded UC Irvine. The Anteaters (27-4) rallied past No. 4 seed USC 22-25, 25-17, 25-23, 16-25, 15-11 in Thursday’s second match.
Siki Zarkovic put down 14 kills and Kupono Fey added 11 for the Rainbow Warriors (24-6).
Hawaii still has an outside chance at being selected to the NCAA tournament as an at-large team. The decision will hinge on the outcome of Friday’s championship final.
If UCI wins Friday, then it will come down to between Hawaii and Pepperdine for the at-large. The winner of Friday’s championship gets the automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.
Hawaii libero Kolby Kanetake finished with 10 digs in the match played at the Bren Events Center.
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The at-large bid will be announced Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Hawaii time.
Tied at 1-1, the match turned last in Set 3. Hawaii had set point at 24-23 following a kill by Fey. Pepperdine closed it out with a 3-0 run with two kills by Taylor and a hitting error by Zarkovic.
